Driver shortage – parliamentary group needs to hear from hauliers

16th April 2019

The All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Road Freight and Logistics needs to hear how the skills shortage is affecting hauliers.

Firms are struggling to recruit staff as the industry faces a growing shortage of drivers, which the RHA believes stands at more than 55,000.

The APPG, chaired by the Rt Hon, Sir Mike Penning MP, has called for evidence from operators as the Group aims to build a strong case to put pressure on the Government to reverse the trend.

The group also wants to see if the Transport Select Committee’s 2016 recommendations to tackle the shortage have made any difference to firms, and if they haven’t, what the Government and industry should be doing differently.

Sir Mike Penning said: “We need to fully understand the problem for hauliers of every size and from across the country. Only when we have gathered this information can we go to Government with a firm set of recommendations and expectations.”

The RHA is pushing for the Government to support the industry’s efforts to attract new talent.

The Association’s chief executive, Richard Burnett said: “The skills shortage is getting worse. We need innovative solutions such as our Road to Logistics initiative backed by government to encourage more people into our industry.”

He added that this is an opportunity for the sector to get its voice heard in Parliament and called on hauliers to respond to the call for evidence.

The APPG has already heard from a number of hauliers about the problems firms are facing including a reliance on EU workers exacerbated by Brexit, pay rates, low margins and the failing Apprenticeship Levy.

-ENDS-

Notes to editors

The APPG’s is hosting its call for written evidence online: https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/FX53SCM.
It’s open until Tuesday 30 April.

The RHA’s Road to Logistics initiative aims to attract ex-offenders, former military personnel, the long-term unemployed and women amongst other diverse groups into the sector.