THE DRIVER shortage crisis is still affecting almost two-thirds (64%) of operators, according to a survey by the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILTUK), with driver shortages more than doubling in the North East of England, Yorkshire & Humber, East of England and Scotland since 2015.
The CILT driver Shortage Crisis Survey 2022 found that the sector is continuing to fail to attract younger drivers, with the average driver age rising to 50.5 years, compared with an average driver age of 47 years in 2015. Less than half of respondents (46.5%) are training new drivers, with 45% reporting that they are currently recruiting trainee drivers.
Key factors were unsociable hours (77%), poor industry image (53%) and long hours (50%), together with a fall in the number of European drivers (49%), an ageing driver workforce (47%), poor wages (45%), and poor facilities (42%).