Corporate DispatchPro TEMIDAYO AKENROYE, THE CONVERSATION VIA REUTERS CONNECT
Truck driver shortage won’t be solved by quick fix visas – here are three ways forward The current shortage of heavy goods vehicle (HGV) drivers in the UK is hitting consumers hard, leading to distribution problems in food, fuel and groceries. Long queues have been seen at petrol stations across the UK and service stations are rationing fuel for customers. The supply-chain problem has also triggered empty shelves in some major supermarkets. With a shortfall of over 100,000 HGV drivers, logistics operators are struggling to meet supermarket demand, and facing increased costs for hiring additional truck drivers to reduce delays. Meanwhile, Morrisons, the UK’s fourthlargest supermarket chain, has already warned that a shortage of drivers will increase prices. While many people are quick to blame the UK’s exit from the EU, there are a number of contributing factors: tax charges to truck drivers, drivers approaching retirement, training delayed by COVID-19, and increased competition for drivers from haulage companies are all contributing. In response, some logistics providers are offering sign-on bonuses of about £2,000 to attract new drivers. The government also has a plan to issue 10,500 temporary visas to foreign HGV drivers. However, this is a short-term fix and can only lead to minimal improvement until Christmas.
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