HGV and PCV Driver Wages Increasing Operational Costs

What is bad news for one group tends to be good news for another. Such is the case with a new report that shows the operational costs of the average haulage company are up over the last year. That’s bad news for companies trying to keep their costs under control, but it’s good news for HGV and PCV drivers. How so? Because some of the increase is directly related to paying drivers higher wages.

The Road Haulage Association’s (RHA) 2014 Cost Movement Survey showed a 2% overall cost increase among member companies for the 2014 calendar year. According to the RHA, the two biggest factors are the new Euro 6 emission standards and rising wages among professional drivers.

Where the emission standards are concerned, RHA says they have driven up the price of new vehicles by as much as 10%. That is a significant amount of money for larger companies operating substantial fleets, but it is even more significant for smaller companies with just a handful of vehicles. Knowing of the higher prices resulting from the Euro 6 standards lead us to wonder if there are a significant number of companies delaying new vehicle purchases for long as possible.

On the driver side of the coin, wage increases are the direct result of the current driver shortage across the UK. What many people do not realise is that wages are driven mainly by supply and demand. If there are not enough drivers to fill empty seats, companies are forced to increase wages and add other benefits in order to attract the necessary talent. When all is said and done, this is a good time to become an HGV or PCV driver.

It could be that government action has helped to keep the increase in operational costs at a minimum. For example, a freeze in the fuel duty certainly makes it easier for haulage and transport companies to manage their budgets. The RHA says it will be pressing for a further step: actually reducing the fuel duty by two or three pence.

Your Driving Career

Have you been thinking about a career as an HGV or PCV driver? If so, consider this: the RHA reports that driver salaries rose 2% in 2013 and an additional 3% in 2014. In a time when most wages are remaining stagnant, professional drivers continue to earn more with each passing year. You can definitely make a very good living as a commercial driver.

Helping you prepare for your career is the job of the HGV Training Centre. We operate more than 45 facilities offering training classes that will prepare you to earn your commercial driving licence. Train with us to drive buses, coaches, articulated lorries, tipper trucks, heavy construction equipment, and more.

We utilise a fast-paced and concentrated training approach that will help you learn and retain all the information you need to know to pass your tests the first time. We can have you looking for work in a matter of weeks.

Sources:

Transport Engineer – http://www.transportengineer.org.uk/transport-engineer-news/rha-sees-2-per-cent-hgv-operating-cost-rise-in-2014/67058/