Major players from the transport and logistics industry took part in a recent CILT round table to examine the reasons behind the current driver shortage and share their solutions to tackling it. Melanie Stark reports

In 2012 the shortage of LGV drivers was not listed by the UK Commission for Employment and Skills as in the top ten hard jobs to fill, but in 2014 it accelerated to the top three.     
    
Only two per cent of LGV drivers are under 25 and by 2022 the industry will need 1.2 million more workers. The logistics and transport sector is in the midst of a challenging cross-sector issue and the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT) is working closely with its members to construct a series of recommendations and best practice in how best to address and solve this issue.

As the ongoing issue of a driver shortage has an increasing impact on our sector, the CILT is working with members to share best practice and innovative thinking to construct a series of potential solutions and recommendations, drawing on their unique range of experience and expertise.

Industry thoughts
To provide a basis for debate, CILT surveyed its membership on their views and experience of this issue. Respondents included senior professionals from Norbert Dentressangle, Marks & Spencer, Doddle, Mark Thompson Transport and Premier Foods.
    
74 per cent of those surveyed stated that their organisation is currently experiencing a driver shortage. Varying factors were highlighted as contributing to the driver shortage, including Driver CPC, long hours, poor facilities for drivers, industry image, lack of careers advice and financial barriers to licence acquisition 89 per cent of those surveyed thought that the government is not doing enough to highlight and deal with the driver shortage, although 80 per cent of participants claimed it is the responsibility of business to find solutions.

Debating the issues
The results of the survey formed the basis for the first Driver Shortage Summit Round Table discussion at which senior professionals were able to share their issues, experience and best practice in dealing with the shortage, as well to take part in an open dialogue with Daniel Parker-Klein, head of policy at CILT.         
    
Several speakers were also present and they discussed how they have used innovative ways to challenge the issue. Speakers included Jack Stratten from Drive with Pride campaign at Blue Arrow; Neil Caldwell from Think Logistics; Steve Travis from Pets at Home; and Graeme Jones from Global Service Group.
    
Jack Stratten spoke of Blue Arrow’s Drive with Pride Campaign. His research indicated that there is what he called a general perspective of ignorance concerning lorry drivers and logistics. The research also revealed that lorry drivers are regularly using social media, especially Facebook and Twitter and that the issue of facilities was often discussed on these channels. It was clear that facilities were a fundamental issue for lorry drivers, so Jack Stratten had worked with Blue Arrow to launch a petition aimed at the DfT: Truckers Toilets UK, to campaign for better facilities and to establish more conversations with the people who can make changes.
    
He asked delegates: “How can we expect to attract young people to the driver profession when we can’t even offer them a clean toilet?”
    
The round table discussions established that the issue of facilities also extends to trying to find somewhere to park, to purchase and eat food, and rest. Delegates pointed out that facilities in continental Europe far surpass those in the UK. Planning issues were discussed, including that those designing and building depots do not have drivers in mind.
    
Delegates also discussed who should provide and pay for driver facilities: drivers, on a pay per use basis, distribution centres or Government? There is no clear line of responsibility.

Career prospects
Neil Caldwell explained the aims of Think Logistics, which is a programme that has been established to work closely with schools and colleges to highlight the wide-ranging career opportunities available in the sector. He spoke about negative misconceptions among young people that have arisen from lack of exposure to the sector. Think Logistics aims to change and highlight the opportunities it offers, specifically to deliver logistics awareness workshops to 1,000 young people by 2016.
    
In a wide-ranging discussion delegates highlighted that many senior professionals start as a driver and go on to six-figure salaries as, for example, transport managers or depot managers, and that more should be done to promote the progressive career opportunities in logistics. One delegate claimed: “Every young person’s interest can be related to logistics,” emphasising the breadth of career opportunities. The consensus was that more should be done to stop this issue being a long-term problem.

Driver CPC
David Parry, transport training manager at CILT discussed the benefits of Driver CPC. He believes Driver CPC is not a problem, but an opportunity, but emphasised that it must be delivered well and in a relevant manner. The classroom environment can be quite alien for many drivers, so it is important to have a good trainer who understands their needs. He argued that there has been too much bad press around Driver CPC and more companies should commit to promoting professionalism.
    
Steve Travis from Pets at Home, spoke about the company’s Warehouse to Wheels campaign, which supports and develops employees working in the warehouse to train to become drivers. He explained the processes and spoke of the positivity and popularity of the scheme.
    
Graeme Jones from Global Service Group, explained the company recruits drivers when experiencing a peak in trade. A recruitment campaign was launched in non‑English and promoted in second language press, and adverts on radio stations in Berkshire used a mixture of English and Asian languages to attract candidates from the local community. Graeme Jones emphasised the need to be creative when attracting people to the profession.

In conclusion
Delegates agreed that varying factors are contributing to the driver shortage and there are short-term and long-term issues with numerous possible solutions. Concerns regarding facilities, training, education, career paths, funding, perception and industry image need to be addressed and conversations need to be started with government and within industry. Delegates were united in the opinion that the driver shortage is a multilayered problem and that there is no quick or easy fix.
    
This initial round table was the ideal opportunity for senior industry figures to share best practice and to discuss the underlying issues of the shortage. It will be the basis for an ongoing discussion within the Institute and CILT will be reporting on the findings and recommendations as and when they happen.

To view the results of the Driver Shortage Crisis survey, visit: tinyurl.com/p8wygdv