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Logistics industry 'needs more younger drivers'

Skills for Logistics, the sector skills council for the freight logistics industry, has claimed the haulage driving sector could face problems if more younger drivers are not recruited.

One LGV driver in six is aged 55 or over, a new survey from the group revealed, and fewer than one in ten vacancies are filled by staff who are new to the freight haulage driving industry.

This could mean the sector faces problems in the future, but a possible solution would be to diversify and offer better training to retain drivers.

Skills for Logistics' chief executive, Ian Hetherington told Transport News Network: "We know that companies who offer continually professional development schemes have a lower rate of staff turnover. Pay and working conditions are similar across the industry so employers need to offer something extra to set them apart from the crowd.

"This could help attract more women to the industry. Just because companies are finding it easy to recruit staff at the minute they can't afford to think that will always be the case."

Women drivers with C+E licenses only make up two per cent of the workforce.

Last month Skills for Logistics welcomed the government's Leitch Implementation Plan that gives freight haulage employers more influence over the sector's education and training system.

Skills for Logistics is a registered charity and is run by employers, for employers.

User Comments

thats good news cos i passed my c+e licence last year and its been a nightmare geting a job,and i would like to ask where can i get more info on driving jobs.thank you.