The haulage industry is labouring under a shortfall of around 100,000 truckers. The problem is so acute that the Government is considering increasing the maximum allowable length of an HGV by 6.5 ft.
The roots of the crisis appear to lie in a perfect storm of issues, including long hours, declining pay levels and an exodus of European drivers since Britain left the EU. While Remainers like to blame every economic setback on Brexit, the truth is more complex. Around 14,000 European lorry drivers left the UK last year and only 600 returned, but other factors had a bigger impact.
Take the length of the average trucker's working week. HGV drivers are restricted to driving ten hours a day (up from nine pre-Covid), but factor in waiting times and they can be out of the house for 12-15 hours a day. The impact this has on family life has driven many younger drivers out, with the result that 62 per cent of the workforce is over 45. Mail.
Blogger - and all of that writing before Covid-19 even gets a mention!
