HGV drivers are the often-unsung heroes of our lives, dutifully carrying much-needed goods to shops, businesses and customers up and down the land. As such, they’re also crucial in allowing local UK councils to deliver important services, whether talking about refuse collection or renewables services, their services are in high demand.
However, along with everyone else, these local authorities have recently been struggling to source trained drivers, which is an issue, as they simply don’t have the resources to train the drivers they need in-house. It’s a nationwide issue and one that the HGVC team and many others have been fighting against since the crisis began.
30,000 Drop in HGV Driver Numbers in 2022 Q1
The industry and government have taken numerous steps to address the situation in the UK, but the chronic shortage is still ongoing. This can be seen in the latest Logistics UK figures that show the number of active HGV drivers dropped in Q1 of 2022 by a staggering 30,000, meaning there aren’t enough drivers to go around.
Encouragement can be taken from the fact that the figure is lower compared to Q3 & Q4 of 2021, which saw respective drops of 44,000 and 49,000. That said, it will come as little consolation to those councils that have had to cancel garden waste collections – with some not being able to meet this need for the whole Summer.
HGVC – Providing a Solution to The Problem
When attempting to address the issue on their own, local councils are hamstrung by both the logistical complexity and financial cost of training new drivers. The funds required for premises, lorries and instructors can be significant, and with no experience in managing training courses, the process becomes too drawn out to be effective.
The solution lies in the fully managed HGV driver training offered by HGVC, which centralises the process, and takes care of trainees through the whole journey, from the medical exam to the test itself. This allows for faster driver training, helping mitigate the pressures council service providers face, as well as reduce the cost.
Appointed by 4 Local Councils Already
This is no theoretical claim or promise, however, as we’ve already been appointed to provide HGV licence acquisition programs by 4 local councils. Adur & Worthing, Eastleigh, Worcester City & Brighton & Hove City councils have instructed us to provide novice-class 2 skills Bootcamp training to over 20 drivers in the next few months.
These government-funded Bootcamps (run as part of our leadership of the Driver Academy Group) represent the perfect option for councils, as they allow existing employees to undertake HGV driver training at a reduced cost. After successfully completing their training, each HGV driver is then promoted to a role within the council they are employed by.
Playing a Major Role In Tacking Driver Shortages
It would be true to say that local councils and businesses are feeling the pinch when it comes to acquiring reliable HGV drivers, but as we’ve seen here, HGVC can provide a rather innovative solution to the problem. The Bootcamps we provide are making a real difference and can offer a meaningful difference in tackling the associated issues. However, the fight is far from over, so we’ll continue to deliver industry-leading, scalable HGV driver training via our large UK network of training centres. If you’d like to find out more about the work we do or how we do it, take a moment to view our website or to speak to a member of our team about your precise needs, call us on 0330 818 8888 or simply click on ‘contact us’.
