The Freight Transport Association (FTA) has warned that it could be a bleak Christmas this year – with a distinct lack of drivers to deliver the goods. 

FTA members have voiced their concerns ahead of the festive season, outlining how driver shortage is affecting their operations.

Eighty two per cent of transport managers who attended an FTA conference today said that the shortage of drivers in the UK is a massive problem, and that they are worried how the freight industry will cope in the weeks leading up to the busiest time of the year for deliveries.

The figures were revealed on the Driver CPC (DCPC) deadline day at the first of FTA’s 2014 Transport Manager Conference series held at Brands Hatch, where delegates voted on the extent of the problem within their organisations.

While FTA has said that it is confident that its members’ drivers will be compliant in order to meet the Driver CPC deadline, it has also highlighted serious concerns regarding the readiness of agency drivers, which industry usually calls upon to handle the Christmas peak, and the fate of driver supply in the future.

Sally Gilson, FTA’s Skills Policy Development Manager said: “Not all Christmas presents arrive by magic.  The ones we order online and buy in shops for friends and relatives, along with all the food and drink we buy in for parties and Christmas lunch, are delivered every year by the logistics industry.  This massive peak in demand leads to heavy use of agency drivers, and FTA members are really worried that these drivers may not be legally ready to drive when they are needed.”

Gilson added: “FTA members are telling us they have genuine concerns over their ability to deliver Christmas this year.  The pool of agency drivers is just not there, and with the economy improving a greater number is needed.  However, this is not just a seasonal issue – our members recruiting full-time positions are struggling for applicants.”

FTA has added that it is not only the issue of Driver CPC which has caused the driver shortage problem, but with the cost of licence acquisition at approximately £3,000, people are unable to pay for this independently.

Gilson concluded: “When you look at the cost it’s no wonder would-be drivers are not coming forward; add to this the insurance problems for younger drivers and industry is finding it hard to bring young blood in.  FTA is asking why can’t vocational training have the same loan system as university students?  If we are going to help the skills shortage, government must not belittle vocational training.”

Driver Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC) regulations came into force for new HGV drivers in 2009 when vocational drivers were required to complete 35 hours of periodic training every five years.  Existing vocational drivers at that time were granted until today to undergo the same training.  Driving without the qualification carries a maximum fine of £1,000 – for both the driver and operator licence holders.

FTA has been a leading provider of quality training to its members and will continue to identify the most practical, efficient and cost effective way to manage Driver CPC programmes in the future, providing training solutions to suit individual business requirements and driver training needs.  For more information go to: www.fta.co.uk/services/training

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Freight Transport Association

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