In a recent publication released on the GOV.uk website, the Secretary of Department for Transport, Grant Shapps, outlined the hard work completed by the Government to tackle the HGV driver shortage, as well as what they are planning to do going forward.
In the article, there was a mention of “a 300% increase in the number of HGV provisional licence applications” following the “25 proactive actions” that have so far been taken by the DVSA and the Department for Transport.
The UK is in the midst of a major HGV driver shortage which has caused massive disruption and logistical issues across the country. A recent example is the apparent “fuel shortage” that led to thousands of consumers panic buying and stockpiling petrol & diesel supplies, which was due to a driver shortage and not the fuel shortage that the media led this to be.
The main issues contributing towards the driver shortage, as outlined by Shapps, consist of:
- Unsociable working hours
- Poor diversity
- Low pay rates
- Poor driver facilities
What is the solution?
The Department for Transport is looking into streamlining the HGV training & testing process by removing the need to hold an LGV Class 2 licence before being able to train and test for an LGV Class 1 licence.
Although it is common knowledge that this idea has been brought up, there is, however, no official date or confirmation that this will be put into place. This means that as it stands, all drivers will still need to complete their Class 2 (Rigid) training & test before being able to move onto Class 1 (Articulated) training.
The idea to remove this stage of the HGV testing process is being addressed in Parliament on Monday 18th October 2021.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION!
How can 2 Start help with your HGV driver training requirements?
2 Start Ltd is a leading UK logistics training provider, with the highest standards of HGV & logistics training. We currently have a wide range of HGV Class 1 & 2 courses available to book online now! With over one hundred passes in the last month alone. You will receive only the best in training, advice, and support when training with 2 Start Ltd.
All of 2 Start Ltd.’s instructors deliver one of the best training experiences in the UK and with everyone dedicated to ensuring you have the knowledge and skills needed to gain your HGV licence!
LOOKING TO BOOK HGV CLASS 1 TRAINING? CLICK HERE TO BOOK ONLINE TODAY!
LOOKING TO BOOK HGV CLASS 2 TRAINING? CLICK HERE TO BOOK ONLINE TODAY!
Additionally, if you are looking for more information on what the UK HGV driver shortage is and what else is being done to solve the issue, click the link below to read our recent article!
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