On the 11th of January 2022, official statistics from the UK’s Department of Transport have revealed that there has been a surge in HGV driving tests being taken between January and March. Compared to pre-pandemic levels, an increase of 74% was noted – something that represents positive news in the fight to address the ongoing driver shortage. 

The reasons cited for the increase include government changes to simplify the process, something that now allows the lorry test’s off-road element to be carried out by non-DVSA assessors. Also included in the total of 33 separate actions was the removal of a separate car & trailer test and the recruitment of more vocational driving examiners. 

11,000 HGV Driver Training Places Available 

Another reason for the upturn is the increased number of driver training tests available, with 11,000 being accessible through Skills Bootcamps. This is part of a sustained boost that’s also helped by a £52.5m investment in lorry parking and roadside facilities. Since the government chose to intervene, industry bodies state that the number of HGV drivers is stabilising. 

This clearly indicates that the government initiatives mentioned have begun to yield results, demonstrating that a change has occurred in perceptions of the industry. As a result, more people are being compelled to train and qualify as professional HGV drivers, coming as it does as part of a wider effort to encourage more people into work. 

“Swift Action Was Taken” – Karl McCartney, Transport Minister 

Speaking about this welcome news for the HGV industry, UK Transport Minister Karl McCartney had this to say:

“The government took swift action and introduced 33 measures to support our vital freight sector throughout a global driver shortage and to maintain our country’s supply chains. Those measures have worked, with the number of lorry driver tests being taken on the rise, and the sector reporting driver numbers are stabilising.

We’ll continue to work with the industry to remove any potential barriers to a rewarding, successful career in logistics and to boost and maintain driver numbers.”

DVSA Chief Executive Loveday Ryder was also keen to recognise the hard work of vocational training providers, stating:

“We recognise the haulage industry keeps the wheels of our economy turning. I want to say thank you to all vocational training providers and our vocational driving examiners for supporting the changes.

It’s their hard work and commitment that have allowed us to offer an additional 11,197 tests and increase the number of drivers joining the industry”.

Promising Signs For the UK Haulage Industry

While we refrain from getting too far ahead of ourselves, this news is certainly welcome in the face of the chronic driver shortage that has persisted for so long. 11,000+ new HGV drivers will provide a much-needed boost to the logistics sector and our supply chain as a result. It certainly looks like there are promising signs for the UK logistics sector. 

At HGVC, we continue to do our bit to combat the UK’s ongoing HGV driver shortage through the provision of industry-leading HGV licence acquisition programs. This is made possible thanks to our nationwide network of training centres and the experienced trainers that staff them. As such, we’re well placed to meet your driver training needs, regardless of scale. 

To find out more about HGVC and how we work, we encourage you to browse our website, where you’ll find lots of useful info.. Alternatively, to speak to us direct, click on ‘contact us’ or call 0330 818 8888 and a member of our team will be happy to discuss your requirements.