As if the shortage of HGV drivers wasn’t problem enough 91% of HGV drivers in the UK feel undervalued leading to further exodus in the industry, according to a survey by the Pertemps Driving Division, part of the Pertemps Network Group.
It showed that 9 out of 10 truckers believe they do not get enough respect for the job they do. As a result, many have already left, or are planning to leave, their roles.
Samantha Leleu, General Manager at Pertemps Driving Division, which has been offering free LGV training to entice new people into the sector, believes it is only by treating experienced drivers with more respect that the brakes can be put on the skills drain and the economy can begin to get back on the right road.
“There is a known driver shortage, and the noise has mostly been about attracting new talent to the sector – but what about those experienced drivers who have just had enough of difficult working conditions, and disrespect from customers and the public? They deserve better and it is the least we, as employers, can do to try and help as the UK seeks to address a shortage of 100,000 HGV drivers,” she said.
“We have surveyed more than 2,500 drivers in the last couple of months and the initial results show that 91% of existing lorry drivers feel they are treated with disrespect. In addition, 69% do not think working conditions are good – and it is the more experienced truckers more likely to be disillusioned with their roles.
“Some people may point to the fact that pay rates have gone up significantly recently, but that does not compensate for years of being underpaid a decent going rate and treated ‘like a nuisance’ when making deliveries.
Pertemps Driving Division has had to temporarily close its free training offer to new applications after more than 10,000 people applied in six weeks. The business is now working its way through the candidates to take forward all those that it can.
