Anyone following events in the UK’s haulage sector will know that much work has gone into tackling the ongoing HGV driver shortage and associated supply chain issues. Many have been wondering how effective they will be, particularly as there have been a number of measures introduced over the last few months.

From temporary Visas for EU drivers to expediting HGV licencing pathways, the government has introduced a number of directives to combat the issue and the positive news coming from trade group Logistics UK is that the signs show that the pressure is beginning to ease.

Fewer Numbers Leaving the Profession

Representing haulage and freight businesses, Logistics UK has hinted that the number of drivers leaving the profession has slowed down, with an increased number of trainee drivers currently passing through the testing system. On two counts, this is certainly cause for optimism.

That said, while this is something to be happy about, the trade body has reiterated the need for more action to be taken by the industry and the UK government to make the profession more attractive to potential recruits.

Startling Numbers, But The Trend Is Upward

Figures quoted by Logistics UK show the startling drop in driver numbers since 2019. They state that by early Autumn 2021, there were 44,000 fewer HGV drivers in the UK than at the same point two years ago. However, promisingly, the trend is now very much an upward one.

As things stand, there has been a 25% increase in the number of HGV driver tests from July-September 2021 compared to 2019, and during which time, there has been a three-fold increase in applications for vocational provisional HGV licences. Driver pay has also increased by some 10% since the turn of the year, helping to attract more interest.

Times Are Still Challenging, but…

Elizabeth de Jong, Logistic UK’s policy director was positive on the subject, but hinted at caution when she said “It is still a challenging time and there is still an acute shortage of drivers certainly, but there are a number of signs of improvement that could be coming.

We’re seeing hope that more people are beginning to enter the industry, but we’ve got to keep attracting them by really improving the facilities.” While these are relatively small gains in terms of the entire job faced, this will come as welcome news for many who’ve struggled greatly over the last year.

Brighter Times Ahead, But Much Work Still to Do

The task of changing conditions and driver numbers in the UK’s haulage sector is a mammoth one and while these positive signs are welcome, we understand that there’s still much work to do. With this in mind, at HGVC, we will continue to offer industry-leading HGV licence acquisition programs across the country.

Our national network and innovative training programs can cater for any size of requirement, something you can find out more about by taking a look around our website while you’re here. Alternatively, to speak to a member of our team about how we can help you with your organisation’s needs, simply drop us a line via our ‘contact us’ link or call today on 0330 818 8888.