News / FTA calls for urgent action as UK faces worsening driver and logistics staff shortage

15/04/2019

The UK logistics industry is being urged to tell the government about the skills shortage facing the country, following an appeal from an All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on road freight and logistics.

The Freight Transport Association (FTA) believes Whitehall needs to contribute more and is urging its members to contribute to a APPG survey, as it warns of the threats from Brexit and the ongoing driver shortage.

“The logistics industry is the lifeblood of the UK economy, employing more than 2.5 million people and ...

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Craig Buchanan
April 16, 2019 at 7:44 am
There seems to be no mention of the Link in the fall of drivers to the introduction of the Driver CPC which for the most part is a rubber stamping process that is costing many drivers personally in terms of financing.
Flexibility in the work offered is also pushing drivers away from the industry, poor road conditions, increased regulations and above all very low driver wages when compared to other industries, the age of the workforce has no real impact when the above is taken into consideration. If the wages paid were directly comparable to the risks involved in the job recruitment would be higher, the drivers themselves are at (potential but real) risk daily of picking up a traffic violation due to accident or otherwise, pulled over for unsafe load, unsafe / none roadworthy vehicle (the classic single trailer light none operational) in short a myriad of legal concerns that can leave the driver facing legal action! Just for doing their job, I am not excusing any of the above as acceptable merely pointing out the risk / reward, how many shop and office workers face the same just for attending work?

If businesses pay better wages there will be no recruitment problems and many of the drivers who have left the industry would return.

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