London, UK: Short-term fixes to solve the driver shortage crisis, like high signing on bonuses, will not be enough to retain drivers for the long term.
The Cold Chain Federation has warned.Along with bonuses, logistics companies are also upping wages and offering training subsidies but many drivers are leaving within two years.
Cold Chain Federation chief executive Shane Brennan told the Financial Times: “Our job as an industry is not just to get drivers in through the door but to ensure they see this as a life-long career.”
His comments come as the government ploughs £34.5m into HGV Skills Bootcamps, a one-year scheme designed to offer free training for up 11,000 drivers to help with the shortage.
The FT reports that, according to analysis by data provider Tussell, the new government funding amounts to more than it spent on HGV driver training over the previous eight years combined.
It is understood that Department for Education officials are keen to extend support for HGV training.
