Christmas
is a time for giving, but that task might be made even harder this year as
reports claim that there will be a shortage of delivery drivers over the
holiday period. The UK logistics industry could be facing its biggest crisis in
years due to a driver shortage that is threatening to postpone Christmas for
many families across the country. Record 180 million home deliveries have been
predicted for November and December, but a lack of drivers means that many of
those packages could be left at the warehouse.
The UK Commission for Employment and Skills believes a massive 60,000 drivers
are needed if all the demands are to be met, which might be too tall an order.
Meanwhile the Freight Transport Association claims that 20,000 drivers have
left the profession since September, when a new safety training procedure was
implemented by the EU.It requires drivers to go
through 35 hours of training if they want to carry on in their profession, and
it costs around £500 to undertake. The rising cost of insurance premiums is
also seen as an issue which is putting employers off from recruiting young
people.
“Of course it’s always terrible to hear of driver shortages and the potential
for packages to go undelivered, especially at this time of year,” commented a
spokesperson for Blackbay, a leading provider of mobility solutions for the
transport and logistics industry. “This just isn’t the news that people want to
be reading about as they get ready for the busy holiday period.
“While there’s a lot of trepidation surrounding Christmas this year, Blackbay
is focusing on making sure delivery companies have all the technology they need
to provide goods across the UK and around the world. We provide several
methods, such as real-time track and trace processes, scheduling capabilities
and more, which ensure the practice of delivery is as efficient and
cost-effective as possible.”
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