Ryan FowlerThe UK logistics industry risks sliding back into a severe HGV driver shortage unless immediate steps are taken to attract younger people into the profession, according to John Keelan-Edwards, managing director of Driver Hire Training.
While government incentives helped plug shortfalls during the post-pandemic period, Keelan-Edwards warned that the average age of the existing workforce is now a major concern, with a significant proportion of drivers set to retire within the next five years. “There is soon to be a wave of drivers retiring and leaving the industry,” he said. “We don’t have as many drivers from overseas as we once did, so we are more reliant on ‘home-grown’ talent.”
Keelan-Edwards said school leavers and young adults are not entering the industry in sufficient numbers to offset the coming exits. “The ratio of those retiring and those entering the industry for the first time is at an imbalance. If this imbalance is not rectified, the situation could become critical,” he said.
He also criticised the image of the sector and the timing of entry routes. “Many people will have already decided on a different career by the time they are able to do their HGV training and gain a professional driving qualification. We need a real focus on the positives, from across the industry and media, ideally reaching people when they are still young.”
According to Keelan-Edwards, initiatives like sign-on bonuses and short-term incentives may help ease pressures temporarily, but the industry requires deeper reform. “For a sustainable and stable future for the logistics industry, we need more of the current school age generation to enter the industry, and for them to know the fulfilling and varied careers they could have.”
He added that insurance restrictions and employer bias against less experienced drivers are compounding the problem. “Many companies are reluctant to hire younger drivers, either due to insurance concerns or simply because they believe experience is essential to do the job efficiently. With good quality training and rigorous hiring practices, that doesn’t have to be the case.”
Keelan-Edwards concluded: “We all have a role to play – the industry, Government, insurers, employment advice agencies and training providers. If we can make high quality training accessible and affordable through better funding and communication, we should be able to attract a younger, more diverse range of people to work in this industry. Drivers are essential to the health of our economy. It’s a career choice to be proud of.”
This story was first featured in The Haulier.
