With the aging population and a shortage of skilled HGV drivers, the need for new drivers is growing rapidly. Over one million letters have been delivered to HGV license holders, encouraging them to return to the industry. These letters are not meant to be depressing but rather to be encouraging.

Costs of supply chain

Brexit has impacted the supply chains of a lot of businesses in the UK. The UK is suffering from an insufficient supply of HGV drivers. A variety of factors have contributed to the shortage. The rising cost of fuel and the increase in energy prices are among the reasons. The government has enacted new laws to ease the situation. The Road Haulage Association has also worked with the government to ease the rules for immigration. The government also announced plans for an increase in the number of driving tests.

The shortage of drivers means that companies are paying higher wages. Many HGV drivers have difficulty to locate safe truck stops and are required to take breaks along the roadside. Many supply chain companies are trying out autonomous trucking. California-based self driving truck company TuSimple is currently testing depot-to-depot deliveries. These deliveries are fully automated, but still require humans to supervise them.

Ageing workforce

Many people think that HGV driving is a simple job however there’s much more to it than that. Many drivers have switched jobs and are now in management positions and some have stopped working completely. Insufficient facilities are the biggest obstacle for many drivers, according to Alex Veitch, Logistics UK’s general manager of public policy. However, recent pay rises and bonuses for HGV drivers could motivate people to return to their profession.

The workforce is aging quickly. According to the Road Haulage Association there is a shortage of drivers in the UK. This shortage is predicted to get worse in the next few years as the current workforce gets older. According to some, a shortage in HGV drivers could cause shelves to be empty at Christmas. Many of the food and drink industry will require a visa for a short-term scheme in order to fill the vacancies.

Manufacture of a lack of diversity

The lack of diversity between HGV drivers in the UK is a major problem for the logistics industry. According to the Road Haulage Association, there is a shortage of 100,000 drivers. This is made worse by the fact that the existing workforce is ageing rapidly. Approximately a third of the UK’s 380,000 drivers are over 50 and likely to retire within the next five years. The shortage is predicted to grow worse and could result in gaps on shelves in shops especially around Christmas time. A short-term visa scheme will also be required to recruit more drivers in the food and beverage industry.

The shortage of drivers could be addressed by government training programmes. A training program funded by the government could help attract young people into the industry. Although hgv training will incur a large amount of money for firms, it could help fill the gap in skills. It could take up to nine months for the new driver to learn. A driver’s training course can cost upwards of PS3,000.

Brexit

British supermarkets are suffering from a shortage of lorry drivers. The government is encouraging employers to invest in training and paying more British workers. The government is determined to decrease the demand for cheap labour from abroad that it believes is the main reason for the shortage. Despite the current political instability business leaders are encouraged to invest in UK-based workers, such as HGV drivers. The shortage of drivers is causing supply chains to fail, resulting in a shortage of goods that are delivered to stores. The government denies that Brexit is the primary reason behind the shortage. However, it has acknowledged the temporary nature of the issue and demanded higher salaries for lorry drivers.

A shortage of truck drivers is a global issue. In Britain, it is at a point of crisis. Truck drivers have left Europe in a masse due to Brexit. Previously, they were free to leave and come back but now, due to Brexit it is impossible to return. Even the fall in sterling against the euro hasn’t swayed them to come back.