Distributors facing driver shortages, ‘creating major challenges’
Several distributors are facing driver shortages, and this is creating major challenges for businesses.
Some distributors have had to rely on drivers hired from agencies, although this can sometimes cause issues.
Carrie Marsh, managing director, Marsh Fuels, said: “We don’t use agency drivers any more after our own experience was that while the ones that came to us had the right ‘piece of paper’ to do the job, they had never put delivery by oil tanker into practice, let alone safely negotiate tight driveways at customer properties. We paid out more in repair bills.”
A recent report from Logistics UK highlighted that almost one in 10 logistics businesses (9.8 percent) say the recruitment of drivers is an “extreme barrier” to the recovery of their business. Logistics UK has called on government to take immediate action to unlock access to these careers for new recruits to the sector, in order to support the recovery of UK PLC.
Alex Veitch, general manager for public policy at Logistics UK, said: “Our report shows that 29 percent of logistics businesses anticipate that they will be unable to fill vacancies for HGV drivers this year; a further 14.5 percent expect long delays before filling a role.
“With the logistics industry in urgent need of these workers, Logistics UK is urging the government to provide interest free loans or grants to train or reskill potential employees and help recruit them into the logistics industry.”
For more information visit www.marshfuels.co.uk
14th June 2021
