The growing HGV driver shortage shows no signs of abating

Interesting times for the haulage sector as once again we look to this challenged and beleaguered industry to – literally - deliver the goods at the time of the year when it matters the most.

Reeling from Brexit and the pandemic, the growing driver shortage – 100,000 according to industry estimates – shows no signs of abating and is unlikely to be offset by the prospect of rising red tape and the average £3,000 cost of training to drive an HGV.

Of course, the issue only really troubles the broader consciousness when it impacts us directly and depletes the supermarket shelves. Not surprisingly, the threat to Christmas alcohol stock has grabbed the headlines with the Wine and Spirit Trade Association (WSTA), reporting that delivery times have risen from two to 15 days, pushing up costs by seven per cent. Chemists also seem to have borne the brunt, with a lack of simple basics such as Vaseline and vitamins at my local store and a steady stream of customer queries at the counter in Boots stores met with a shrug and “delivery issues”.

Notably, Boris Johnson’s recent observation that more needs to be invested in the haulage sector’s pay and facilities came with the casual aloofness of someone who expects the tab to be picked up elsewhere, namely by the hauliers themselves. A similar detachment was evident almost a decade ago, when as editor of the Road Haulage Association’s lobbying publication, Roadway, I interviewed Philip Hammond, who was then transport secretary. He was surprised to learn of the industry’s long term recruitment challenges and low pay – a lack of steer on the basics that didn’t bode well for sector desperate for action and answers, though it was at least used to the transport ministry’s high churn rate.

While Brexit and Covid may have accelerated the driver shortage, neither are the root cause which runs a little deeper. My time spent articulating the stories and concerns of hauliers revealed a world that had barely registered in my psyche beyond perhaps the Eddie Stobart brand or when caught in the tailback of lorry that had overestimated the bridge height. Apparent from day one was a grinding dissatisfaction across the sector; principally, the under-investment in core facilities and the struggle to attract new blood and shake off a rather unfashionable reputation. It felt downtrodden and unloved, and the repetition of certain themes played on a loop.

Fuel costs and driver conditions when out on the road were a particular bone of contention; especially truck stop facilities, which were too few in numbers, often unclean and missing showers. Meanwhile, the high costs and lack of designated parking spaces for lorries led to drivers taking risks, pulling up in laybys for the night and falling victim to fuel theft, or in residential areas, which aggravated locals resenting a 44-ton artic tainting the streetscape.

Against this backdrop, more sophisticated technology had started to penetrate the industry – mainly in the actual cabs themselves – bringing a more data-driven, forensic approach to the haulier’s workload. The innovation from commercial vehicle manufacturers such as Iveco, MAN and DAF trucks may have been lauded at the big trade shows, but the enthusiasm rarely translated to those on the road as greater analysis of driver performance made targets easier to set and increase. Delivery times and drop-offs fell under greater scrutiny, which irked experienced hauliers contending with difficult conditions who felt less in control of their agenda and under pressure to work harder and faster.

Meanwhile, longstanding, family-run haulage companies were struggling to make ends meet but there was a sense that it was all they knew and therefore they were in it – quite literally – for the long haul. Enthusiasm was there from those who simply loved driving and the unique rhythm and routine of a life on the road and the quasi-domestic sanctuary of their cabs. Yet they were worn down by a government they felt did not understand their industry and treated it as a niche concern. And if drivers with some 30 years behind them were jaded, there were few lining up to replace them, especially women and its still the case – accounting for between just 1-3 per cent of its workforce

The image of the hefty, male and middle-aged haulier prevails because it was and still is so often the reality. If inadequate facilities out on the road are cited as a deterrent for the fairer sex, what I saw at some of the haulage yards suggested more could be done on site. I remember one firm where the sole female employee would walk over to the nearby Tesco to use the toilet because of the unsanitary state of shared facility on site, a scenario explained matter-of-factly by those in charge as if it was a completely reasonable state of affairs.

Perhaps the annual commercial vehicle show provided the most visible and high-profile snapshot of the industry’s women problem. The few in attendance were mostly confined to well-meaning campaign groups trying to boost female recruitment but with a confused message that included pink goody bags containing nail files. Others were there in a strictly promotional capacity, draped over the latest truck in something tight.

I’m hopeful both elements have been re-evaluated, though when I reported on the sector more recently it was clear that many of the evergreen themes and frustrations prevailed. Low profit margins, lack of cashflow and the issue of basic facilities resurfaced. Some firms reported weekly parking bills of £400 at truck stops with non-existent showers and expensive food, a contrast to experiences across the channel where better-equipped motorway service areas with more provision for truck parking offered a far superior experience for a stop-off.

I spoke to drivers making vital deliveries of food and medicine who found toilet facilities locked and access denied to those at the premises they were delivering to, despite having travelled for many hours. If the enduring narrative around the crisis was defined by a sense of community and pulling together, those behind the wheel keeping supplies moving around the country often found it lacking. Once again it reinforced a certain disrespect and lack of appreciation in a challenging year that for many, ended in queues at Dover as the chaos of the Brexit transition delayed those bound for France. It’s little surprise there’s a driver shortage and the supply crisis will simply continue to flare up at the worst times until the industry is given the attention it deserves.