4 Trade Groups Get Together to Work on HGV Training Issue

After repeated efforts to convince the government to get involved in solving the HGV driver shortage have failed, four industry trade groups have decided to combine their resources to further address the problem with a united front. It is their hope that the new joint effort will not only shed more light on the increasingly desperate driver shortage problem but will also lead to more new drivers undertaking HGV training in the very near future.

The Freight Transport Association (FTA) and Road Haulage Association (RHA) have been the two leading voices since the driver shortage issue was first raised a few years ago. They have led the charge in petitioning the government and looking for other ways to get new blood into the haulage and transport industries. Now the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT) and the Institute of Road Transport Engineers (IRTE) are joining them.

Both the CILT and the IRTE are known more for their expertise in the logistics sector. However, what all four players have come to realise is that logistics, haulage, and transport are all inseparable at the end of the day. Without a strong haulage and transport sector, the logistics sector cannot function properly. The opposite is also true. Both sectors must lay aside any competing interests in order to adequately address the driver shortage.

Representatives from all four groups recently held a roundtable discussion in which they agreed, in principle, on the joint efforts they will undertake moving forward. A new group will be established by the end of September (2015) to spearhead the efforts discussed. Leaders from the four organisations expect to address a number of specific areas including:

• the number of women driving professionally
• the benefits of transport and logistics to the economy
• the need for better financing options for students
• infrastructure needs to keep transport and logistics moving
• future regulations, fuel duties, etc.

The goals of the group are essentially twofold: first to inform the public about how important haulage and transport are to the entire economy, and then to continue to press the government for both regulatory change and training assistance. Between the two, they hope to make real strides that result in tangible benefits for HGV training and industry viability.

You Can Train with Us

If you are visiting our website today because you are interested in becoming an HGV driver, you do not have to wait until the new trade group begins working in September. You can sign up to start HGV training right away by contacting us at the HGV Training Centre. We are a leading provider of commercial driver training with dozens of facilities conveniently located across the UK.

Our fast-paced and intense training approach can have you ready to take and pass your final practical skills test within weeks. From there you will be ready to start looking for work as a professional driver. Contact us today so we can get you started.

Sources:

1. Handy Shipping Guide – http://www.handyshippingguide.com/shipping-news/hgv-driver-shortage-prompts-other-logistics-industry-outfits-to-join-road-haulage-freight-interests_6579