Was speaking with a retired fuel depot manager today, and he said this was bound to happen. Over the years, work was contracted out to the cheapest bidder, job benefits cut and depots moved or shut down. The contractors would squeeze the pay so only Europeans would do the work. Now the Europeans are gone, they’ll need to raise wages. It just proves the country has been relying on cheap labour from abroad for too long, and the greedy employers have gotten their comeuppance. What shocked me was that tanker drivers are on £40k. For the responsibility of carrying that lethal cargo, I’d want a bit more than that.
I would think so Hasn't there just been a train derailed in the States yesterday with several passangers dead?
I agree with the comment before that virtually all professions can (and do) spin their publicity to make it seem like they are undervalued and essential. Nurses, teachers, police and even barristers claim they are on the poverty line. With regards to HGV drivers, for sure there is a skill involved. Manoeuvring those hulking trucks cannot be an easy thing. However, I would assume it's a skill that can easily be taught? It's not a God given talent that someone like George Best was born with. When new drivers are learning the ropes, what is the failure rate like? I'm somewhat surprised at the shortage of drivers. If I was single, it's something I would have definitely investigated in my younger days. Seems like hard but financially rewarding work for thousands of young men and women who have no commitments at home. And whilst skill is certainly involved, to my untrained eyes it is nothing that time and practice can't solve. As with many of the "crises" from the past year such as in hospitality and fruit picking, I'm baffled that the industries were not using the previous year to prepare as even Blind Freddie could see which way the wind was blowing.
https://www.railforums.co.uk/thread...harder-than-learning-to-drive-a-train.203486/https://www.railforums.co.uk/thread...harder-than-learning-to-drive-a-train.203486/
There's the rub. Hgv driving has not attracted young people. Most of them would rather have a cushier life; they know it is not easy so they take easier options. The average age of a UK HGV driver is 55
They used to get paid a lot more but Hoyer and similar companies undercut companies like Shell. So the fuel haulage companies started losing drivers.
What is flowing through this problem? What is important? IMO, pay and conditions. When Joe Public doesn't get full supermarket shelves or fuel to drive to work they panic like hell.
actually--with all the job vacancies it wont be too long before benefits will get cut. Got to pay for all that 80% furlough pay somehow.
People will say " oh you drive a truck" Then there are those drivers who Discharge fuel on the forecourt Load and discharge powder tankers Load and discharge bulk liquid tankers Carry livestock Carry hazardous goods Those that deliver into major cities like London Those car delivery boys Those farm collection tankers for your milk Etc etc
Pinoys do HGV through TESDA, I remember one guy from Bacolod who did a few courses before relocating to Alberta when the oil sands were doing good. https://www.courses.com.ph/driving-articulated-vehicle-nc-iii-course-philippines/
The Filipino drivers that find work in Canada will be impressed with full sets of "susies" (suspended air and electric lines between tractor units and trailers). I didn't see many susies in the Philippines when I looked.
Sorry to add this story, Malcolm, but it was part of my life back then........I saw a gas tanker blow up near San Carlos de la Rapita in Spain, from a few kilometres away back in 1978. I saw the ball of fire then heard the bang when I was installing an aerial on a ship's mast in the harbour nearby. It was horrific - we had a couple of beers in the Los Alfaques campsite bar earlier in that week. 215 people lost their lives and many more had severe burns. I remember the church bells tolling as if it was yesterday. We were all young men and carried on. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Los_Alfaques_disaster
