The number of HGV drivers employed across the UK increased by almost 55,000 over the last year, reports Chris Tindall.
Tailored initiatives to recruit the next generation of lorry drivers following a skills shortage that deepened two years ago appear to be bearing fruit, with data showing that the number of drivers under the age of 35 rose by 31,630 between Q3 2023 and Q3 2024.
According to figures published by Logistics UK, the total increase stood at 54,961 – an increase of almost 21%.
However, despite the number of younger drivers increasing, the business group said the industry was still over-reliant on drivers from older age groups, with more than 53% of drivers employed across the sector aged 50 and over.
Bethany Windsor, head of skills policy at Logistics UK, said the growth in numbers reflected targeted recruitment campaigns, higher wages and government-supported training to counteract a post-EU exit workforce blackhole:
“It is great news that more younger drivers are coming into the profession, but we cannot shy away from the reality that challenges in pay, conditions and workforce demographics still exist and can create recruitment and retention issues for the long term,” she said.
“Addressing these systemic problems, rather than focusing solely on the number of drivers available for work, may offer a more sustainable solution for the HGV industry in the UK.
“Initiatives such as Generation Logistics are having a great impact in raising awareness of the profession as a whole and we continue to press the government to confirm that it will continue to contribute funding to support the programme in 2025.”
Logistics UK’s skills and employment update also showed that companies are still facing challenges recruiting skilled roles, such as technicians.
Over half of businesses (51.8%) reported severe recruitment issues in these areas, although businesses claim that more general roles like forklift drivers and warehouse staff are comparatively easier to recruit.
She added: “It is essential for the sector to take a long-term view to address the gaps in skills that the sector is experiencing, especially with technicians.
“Logistics is one of the UK’s foundational sectors that powers the wider economy, and it is vital that logistics becomes embedded in wider opinion as a long-term career, like retail, hospitality or healthcare.”
