WRF: Skills Shortage – it’s time to change

Over to you WESTERN ROADS FEDERATION byCam Dumesny, CEO

SKILLS SHORTAGE –it’s time to change

Western Roads Federation and others have been in the media highlighting our shortage of not just truck drivers but other industry specialists such as heavy vehicle mechanics and operational staff.

Mining transport operators were the first to feel the pinch when the WA Government announced the borders were shut to FIFO workers from the East. But that shortage has now spread.

Expanding Issue

As the Mining Haulage carriers ran short of drivers, they began to attract WA truck drivers from other sectors, including some leakage from Agriculture transport. We are also losing drivers from the East -West run to the mines, as drivers on that run have to get tested every seven days and face the restrictions associated with going interstate.

In fact, just one of our east-west members, reported having nearly half their fleet parked up because they couldn’t get drivers.

Government Stimulus Makes Problem Worse

Whilst everyone welcomes the Government spending on road building and maintenance programs to help kick start the economy, it is also making the skills shortage worse.

For example, I have been advised by one agricultural sector transport company that they will be withdrawing drivers from supporting the up-coming harvest as they are prioritising the gravel haulage contracts they won for some road projects.

Their reason is that Government infrastructure and related road projects offer longer term stability. So, they are placing a higher priority on allocating drivers to the infrastructure work over the harvest.

Business Groups

I called a meeting of my counterparts in CME, WA Farmers and CCIWA to discuss the issue and explain to them that our shortage impacts them too. They agreed that the skills shortage, particularly drivers is a major issue. Note: Farmers have other shortages of skilled labour as well.

That agreement was important as it gave our industry credibility with the Government that it wasn’t just us complaining, it was a real issue.

Basic Problem

Truck driver licensing schools are operating to a government standard that doesn’t produce a driver companies are confident to employ.

What is being proposed

WRF is working on a School to Retirement Plan which will cover how we attract students to our industry, train and up skill them through to attracting older workers who can share their hard-won knowledge with current generations. The two things currently in action are:

Medium to Long Term Apprenticeship

We have put forward a medium to long term solution. A three-year apprenticeship for the industry. We are supporting a proposal by a member company to pilot this apprenticeship and we are working directly with the Department of Training and Workforce Development on pushing it through. We are quietly confident that this will get up.

Short Term: Solution

To fill the short term need we have put forward a 21-day program aimed at making people who have a HC licence, but no experience – employable. Apparently, there are quite a few people in this situation.

Step One: Attraction and Identification of Drivers

WRF and its members will market the program. Participating companies will conduct pre-training interviews to determine the suitability of the driver for employment within their business.

Step Two: Licensing

Identified HR and HC drivers are put through the existing Driver Training and Licencing Schools to obtain their MC licences. Two days has been allowed for this; however, the Schools have indicated that one day only may be required for HC to MC. However, Licensing by the Schools does not make them suitably employable by the transport companies, as: • Most Schools only teach and train on a

B Double combination, not road trains in order to obtain their MC licence. • There is also a substantive shortfall in knowledge and skills, as evident by the additional training listed in Step Three below.

Step Three: Industry Training to Employability

The participating companies or industry accredited trainers will then teach and train the drivers in the following aspects that are either insufficiently or not taught by the Licencing Schools.

Road Train combination hook up processes and reversing

Be able to set up a road train combination. This requires a detailed understanding of the processes and practising of the skills needed to be able to reverse trailers onto other trailers during the set-up process.

Basic mechanics and fault diagnosis

MC Drivers in WA frequently operate in remote and regional areas for prolonged periods. They must be able to conduct basic mechanical maintenance and basic fault diagnosis.

Tyre maintenance and management

The management and maintenance of tyres is a major factor in truck road safety in WA. With up to 80 tyres on a road train, operating in a state where only 30% of the regional network is sealed - maintenance and management

of tyres is critical including how to safely change a tyre.

Pre-Start Checks

The same basic elements of predeparture planning and checking such as vehicle inspections, mechanical checks, route plan submissions, first aid and other safety equipment checks apply in all organisations.

Braking Systems and Distances

Understanding the different braking systems is critical to the safe operation of road trains. Trailer combinations can also have different types of braking systems in combination, each acting differently and impacting braking performance. Correct coupling of the different braking systems, and ‘driver road craft’ - understanding braking distances in loaded and unloaded circumstances.

WA Main Roads Rules and Routes

Full understanding of the numerous WA Main Roads regulations and planning tools impacting road train operations including RAV routes, signage and WA fatigue management regulations.

On Road Safety

Learn techniques such as hill ascent and descent, how to drive at night, how to identify and correct trailer sway and how to prevent roll overs.

On Road Safety Around High Wide Loads

In WA, it is a common for road trains to come across high wide loads in transit. Drivers need to understand the directions of escort pilots as well as when and how to safely pass.

Vehicle Passive Safety Technology

An identified problem is that older drivers often do not understand nor appreciate the passive safety technology of modern trucks. It is critical that they understand and learn to appreciate the capabilities and limitations of passive road safety technologies.

OHS and First Responder

Drivers are often first on scene at road accidents where they may need to take control and provide assistance for up to two hours before professional first responders can arrive. Advanced skills and knowledge can contribute to more effective performance when needed as well as reduce post event mental health issues. Note: Federal Funding has been provided to conduct a pilot training course for drivers.

Future

The Government has acknowledged we have a serious skills issue in the industry and have been actively working us on developing solutions.

But this is only the first step, we still have to address how we attract people and how we retain and upskill them and how we allow those approaching retirement to start sharing their knowledge back to the next generation.

WRF members and associate members are actively working on this, if you want to get involved become a WRF member.

WESTERN ROADS FEDERATION IS THE UNITED VOICE OF WA TRANSPORT COMPANIES Western Roads Federation has been formed to give a strong unified voice for companies who use WA roads for commercial benefit. Western Roads Federation is a membership driven organisation. If you believe in the industry and what you do, then make sure your company is a member, and get involved. For a membership application form Email cam.dumesny@westernroads.com.au ◆ Phone 08 9365 7799 or 0481 064 371 180 Hay St, East Perth WA 6004