Shortage of HGV drivers

There is currently a shortage of people trained to drive HGVs in the UK, this could mean empty shelves in our shops in the future. A worrying statistic, it may be caused by Brexit, or people returning to their own country because of the pandemic. On the up side it’s also causing wages for HGV drivers to increase. If you have always wanted to drive a HGV, or you just enjoy driving and need to re-skill due to a job loss or wage cut it could be a good time to learn.

The Road Haulage Association (RHA) says there is a shortage of about 60,000 drivers. This is a massive shortfall, so companies like Kim Driver Training are busy helping people to learn all of the skills they need to pass first time. We all rely on lorry drivers, from the food in our supermarkets to supplies for the NHS, everything arrives in a HGV. The BBC has a report on the shortage of drivers, which you can read here.

What Makes a Good HGV Driver?

So other than good driving skills and a love of driving what other traits make a good HGV driver?

Reliability

First things first, you may find yourself responsible for transporting highly valuable loads so responsibility, honesty, and integrity is crucial to being a great HGV driver. You’ll need to have an excellent eye for safety and the ability to always go for best practice in everything you do.

Organisation

Hand-in-hand with reliability comes organisation. You may be required to organise loading and unloading, plan your best route, supervise projects, and ensure all paperwork is correctly filled out and filed. Good timekeeping is also vital.

Mechanical Skills

Drivers will often be required to carry out routine maintenance, so a good mechanical or engineering skill set will be necessary to keep your truck in working order.

Stress Management

Long journeys can be physically exhausting as well as stressful if you’re working against the clock. The best HGV drivers have excellent stamina plus the ability to work alone and concentrate for long hours under pressure without giving in to stress. It’s also important to consider that you may often have to spend time away from family and the stress this can put both on you and your loved ones.

Interpersonal Skills

Last but not least, great HGV drivers have excellent interpersonal and communication skills. This is necessary both for working with your team to ensure projects run smoothly, as well as for interacting with customers.

If you think this is for you, and would like to help fill the shortage of HGV drivers we have the right course for you! Get in touch with us to arrange training today!