Lorry driver shortage

[DrWazzock]

The number of curtainsiders that come in for spuds that have been slashed is ridiculous, even if they leave the back doors open sometimes they get slashed, who'd be a trucker!

There is very little law and order especially in rural areas. I could do more on the engineering side here but as soon as you acquire any tools of value they are gone. So we tick over at a low level of economic activity and productivity. Police and government not bothered about rural crime so why should I bust a gut making an effort to build a business with no back up whatsoever just punitive business rates and regulations. Stuff em. It’s a hobby now. They no longer get much tax from me. Fastest way to economic decline is neglect of infrastructure, law and order etc.

 

[Boysground]

Loaded some wheat last night. Driver had handed in his notice. He’s going to a 8 to 5 job for a drainage company for more money. That’s for a good local firm who have been coming here for decades.

Bg

 

[DrWazzock]

Ironically I think the demise of the unions is part of the reason we are in this situation. If the people who did the work on the ground had a stronger voice then maybe pay and conditions wouldn’t have sunk so low. I have always found lorry drivers to be willing workers who put up with a lot and it’s seems sad they have reached the point where they have to walk away due to having their good will and “can do” attitude taken for granted for so long. They aren’t the only trade or profession in that situation either. There has been this one sided relationship between politics and the worker (self employed , employed, fsrmer, tradesman) for too long. Basically do as you are told and accept any crap thrown at you.

 

[quattro]

All to blame not one of them any better than the other .

That’s the biggest problem

 

[BrianV]

Might as well give up at that point, I met the lady once when she was on the shortlist to be our mp, we were all so impressed she came 4th out of 4. As she was on David Camerons A list we were meant to put her 1st. She tried many constituencies before the 2015 election, not one would have her. Call me Dave gave her a leg up to the Lords in his resignation honours list as a consolation prize.

And Bozo promotes her, says it all for the Bullingdon club doesn't it!

 

[Ffermer Bach]

There is very little law and order especially in rural areas. I could do more on the engineering side here but as soon as you acquire any tools of value they are gone. So we tick over at a low level of economic activity and productivity. Police and government not bothered about rural crime so why should I bust a gut making an effort to build a business with no back up whatsoever just punitive business rates and regulations. Stuff em. It’s a hobby now. They no longer get much tax from me. Fastest way to economic decline is neglect of infrastructure, law and order etc.

I read that the reason the industrial revolution started here in the UK (I know partly it was due to coal being accessible etc) but also due to the fact that we had had a stable society for 1000 years (compared to the rest of Europe), and stable means those who obey law and work hard get on and criminals/lay abouts didn't proliferate. This meant we had a population of hard working people, the ideal seed compost for the economy. Anyway, I feel we are frittering away this legacy, with both our "tick box" culture for petty bureaucracy and our encouragement for "dole bludgers" with our benefit system - when ever the politicians try to alter anything, the media bring out Mrs Jones who will be disadvantaged, so hand wringing/facebook campaigns and it changes (bedroom tax as an example). Our disintegration of law and order is another nail in the coffin, I think. Watching both the Australian Police on GB News or our Police dancing with protestors the Police seem both to be unaccountable and violent and inept both at the same time.

 

[le bon paysan]

Might as well give up at that point, I met the lady once when she was on the shortlist to be our mp, we were all so impressed she came 4th out of 4. As she was on David Camerons A list we were meant to put her 1st. She tried many constituencies before the 2015 election, not one would have her. Call me Dave gave her a leg up to the Lords in his resignation honours list as a consolation prize.

Another unelected bureauocrat

 

[nivilla1982]

The real causes of the HGV driver shortage and why we can’t blame it all on Brexit

The HGV driver shortage has escalated to crisis point. As multiple theories circulate over the underlying cause, The Grocer has sourced exclusive data to uncover what's really driving the issue

www.thegrocer.co.uk

 

[JP1]

Advert September 1938

 

[Cowabunga]

Two letters in the post this morning from suppliers that are increasing their costs as a result of driver shortages. Most notable if ForFarmers which are increasing all prices with a haulage surcharge of an amazing £5/ton, even on fixed price contracts. The other is Certas which is adding a 3p per litre delivery charge on lubrication fluids, which is an extra £30 delivery charge on an IBC of 1000litres.

 

[JP1]

Two letters in the post this morning from suppliers that are increasing their costs as a result of driver shortages. Most notable if ForFarmers which are increasing all prices with a haulage surcharge of an amazing £5/ton, even on fixed price contracts. The other is Certas which is adding a 3p per litre delivery charge on lubrication fluids, which is an extra £30 delivery charge on an IBC of 1000litres.

After the fuel thing a few years back many carriers added a & fuel surcharge . In the case of DPD at work their rates are now plus 6% fuel surcharge

 

[Lowland1]

Wasn't Norbiton where Reginal Perrin lived?
"I didn't get where I am today without knowing where people live!"

Then you’d know it was Surbiton

 

[Renaultman]

V

They have no idea about logistics or the life of the ordinary working man or woman. Our local town been crying out for a bypass for 40 years. Major A road stills goes right through the town centre. Takes me half an hour at times to get half a mile through it due to delivery vans parked on it. There was a route for a bypass but the planners built a housing estate on it. The same planners that tell you how to feck up your planning application by insisting on all sorts of inappropriate unwanted out of character and costly features. We have one industrial estate with only one way in and out. A post office sorting depot in it so dozens of parked cars line the access road. Total nightmare for HGVs. Completely undersized and poorly designed. Nowhere for HGV park up overnight other than crappy lay-bys where they’ll get their diesel nicked. 40 years of total failure on investing in infrastructure. Too little too late or nothing at all. It’s been Conservative here all that time but the others are no better. No politician works for commerce and industry, the very thing that keeps the country alive.

Well put, totally agree.

 

[Highland Mule]

Motorway services with 50 HGV parking places rejected due to traffic concerns

The plan to build a Dunblane motorway services on the A9 was rejected by Stirling councillors yesterday – just a year after it was conditionally approved...

trans.info

This sort of things doesn't help - telling HGV drivers they are persona non grata.

 

[ollie989898]

I don’t quite understand this driver shortage. We have never seen anything other than British drivers collect and deliver stuff here. I haven’t heard of one retiring or leaving the industry over the last year. They are still working. None of the firms I deal with have lorries without drivers so what’s going on?
There seems to be a shortage of veg pickers but from what I saw none who lived here was “forced” to go home. I know several German and Polish nationals who are still working here without a problem.
Is it just that foreign workers aspirations have been raised by improved conditions back home so they don’t need to scivvy here or it isn’t so financially attractive due to a levelling up across the EU. And covid hasn’t helped.

During the summer a well known and sizeable haulage company were delivering fertiliser (2 trucks arrived at once). The driver explained that in the week prior, 12 drivers had all left on the same day. Both drivers in the yard were English as well though I don't know what difference this would make.

During the summer a third party haulier was making grain collections, a family business who I am sure many in the region know well. All their drivers are British though they did explain that they don't do many nights out. One driver also explained that if you wanted to buy a new truck today you would have a 12 or 18 month waiting list to get one and that is if the company could be bothered to take your order- some of the big names will not be interested.

 

[Renaultman]

Motorway services with 50 HGV parking places rejected due to traffic concerns

The plan to build a Dunblane motorway services on the A9 was rejected by Stirling councillors yesterday – just a year after it was conditionally approved...

trans.info

This sort of things doesn't help - telling HGV drivers they are persona non grata.

Nearly every new truck stop is objected to

 

[ollie989898]

Nobody was deported. EU Immigrants were offered British citizenship in plenty of time.
We still have thousands of immigrants arriving here every month including across the channel in inflatables. Can’t they be set to work? Benefit for them and us.
I’ll bet in 6 months we will have an unemployment crisis according to the media.

We should not be encouraging illegal migration, it is as simple as that. These people constitute a security risk whether you want to admit to it or not. People caught attempting to enter the UK illegally, or found living here illegally should be detained and deported to any country they choose on a first class flight with any future asylum application automatically denied.

I am in favour of the free movement of labour, but through a controlled and scrutinised process, including the issuing of a biometric identity card. Why should the UK be the fall guy? Although to be fair there are bigger issues with illegal migration in Greece, Spain and some Eastern European countries. No country can afford the never ending numbers of people who all want housing, education and healthcare. We need to sort the taxation system out and deal with the welfare issues amongst our own people first and then deal with foreign aid programs that help other countries get where they need to be.

Encouraging wholescale migration is foolhardy as you will attract the youngest, fittest and most skilled. Mind the UK in particular did the world a disservice by recruiting overseas nurses and doctors which is wholly unethical however you want to paint it.

Migration of this scope and scale harms countries as much as benefitting others. I had to smile at how Germany was accused of hoovering up Polish healthcare staff as their own had emigrated to work in Scandinavia.

 

[quattro]

Nearly every new truck stop is objected to

That really sums up the problems of today

 

[Bongodog]

One aspect that seems to have completely bypassed the transport minister and her minions is that many people with a HGV qualification took the test with no intention to ever work in general haulage
Horse box drivers, builders, scaffolders, farmers, fairground people the list is endless of people who require a licence in order to carry out their work, rather than driving being their work.
So thats a million letters sent out most of which will go straight in the bin.

 

[Widgetone]

One aspect that seems to have completely bypassed the transport minister and her minions is that many people with a HGV qualification took the test with no intention to ever work in general haulage
Horse box drivers, builders, scaffolders, farmers, fairground people the list is endless of people who require a licence in order to carry out their work, rather than driving being their work.
So thats a million letters sent out most of which will go straight in the bin.

Was told that ambulance drivers were also on that list ffs