Who should be a Lorry Driver?

[millimole]

They are the most dangerous and intimidating vehicles on our roads.

Hmm, have to admit I've hardly ever had an issue with HGV's whilst on the road.

And to be fair, I always ensure that I assist them in overtaking when possible, pulling over, or off the road

I invite you to ride the A47 west of Leicester then!
There are a high proportion of foreign HGVs heading for the Catterpiller plant and the logistics depot next to it from the M1 and East of Leicester. They are universally horrid to be overtaken by.

Equally I've had bad experiences with milk tanker lorries on minor country roads (presumably working to tight deadlines) both aggressively trying to pass, and refusing to assist to facilitate a safe pass when meeting head on.

I try to pull over when I'm being followed by a lorry, if it's safe and convenient (for both of us) to do so. I don't envy anyone driving for a living and I don't see why I should make their life any more difficult.

[rjb]

All those furloughed pilots would make ideal short term candidates for this role. If they can drive a jumbo a hgv shouldn't present too many challenges. Give them a crash course in hgv driving. Problem solved.

[Carlton green]

Why shouldn't someone with a degree work as an HGV driver?

Thanks

Jonathan

IIRC you are an academic and might well think that University Education is a wonderful experience that everyone should have, if so then I believe you to be very clever but mistaken.

I didn’t say that someone with a degree shouldn’t work as a HGV Driver. I did say: ” We should be valuing people who do boring jobs, accepting that less intellectual jobs have value to society and not continually seeking for everyone to have degrees.”

[Jdsk]

Why shouldn't someone with a degree work as an HGV driver?

IIRC you... might well think that University Education is a wonderful experience that everyone should have...

No, you don't "recall correctly". I haven't said that everyone should have a university education, and I don't think it.

I didn’t say that someone with a degree shouldn’t work as a HGV Driver. I did say: ” We should be ... not continually seeking for everyone to have degrees.”

That's a strawman argument, unless you can show a single example of someone "continually seeking for everyone to have degrees.”.

Jonathan

[al_yrpal]

Theres a Sunday Times story today about HGV drivers earning £60k. And at least one pilot is training up for it. Others report increased wages. The supermarkets are pretty desperate. Lets hope this spreads to all the occupations previously favourite with EU citizens who have left and wages for the low paid get a leg up across the board.

Al

[Jdsk]

Lets hope this spreads to all the occupations previously favourite with EU citizens who have left and wages for the low paid get a leg up across the board.

We're duplicating another thread, but I invite anyone who's in favour of these higher wages to answer two questions:

1 What will the effects be on the wider economy: and especially on prices and on funding of public services?

2 Is it better to address low wages by market forces or by mandated minimum pay?

Thanks

Jonathan

[Jdsk]

Doesn't sound that attractive a career to me, esp. at £10/hr

The working conditions have been a problem for a long time. It's disgraceful that they haven't been addressed.

Here's the 2015 report from the Parliamentary inquiry:
https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/c ... ulereports

Jonathan

[al_yrpal]

Lets hope this spreads to all the occupations previously favourite with EU citizens who have left and wages for the low paid get a leg up across the board.

We're duplicating another thread, but I invite anyone who's in favour of these higher wages to answer two questions:

1 What will the effects be on the wider economy: and especially on prices and on funding of public services?

2 Is it better to address low wages by market forces or by mandated minimum pay?

Thanks

Jonathan

Why dont you tell us what you think for a change? ....please

Al

[Pebble]

Doesn't sound that attractive a career to me, esp. at £10/hr

The working conditions have been a problem for a long time. It's disgraceful that they haven't been addressed.

Here's the 2015 report from the Parliamentary inquiry:
https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/c ... ulereports

Jonathan

Sleeping in laybys, peeing in bottles and having to crap in a carrier bag in your cab is not for everyone. And all for not much more than the minimum wage - no wonder there is a shortage of drivers.

[Jdsk]

Lets hope this spreads to all the occupations previously favourite with EU citizens who have left and wages for the low paid get a leg up across the board.

We're duplicating another thread, but I invite anyone who's in favour of these higher wages to answer two questions:

1 What will the effects be on the wider economy: and especially on prices and on funding of public services?

2 Is it better to address low wages by market forces or by mandated minimum pay?

Why dont you tell us what you think for a change? ....please

The wider economic and educational questions aren't appropriate to this thread.

But on HGV drivers:

1 Market forces are a terrible way of addressing low pay. Minimum pay legislation and the tax and benefits system are much better.

2 Waiting till food shortages occur and trigger the market forces is damaging and incompetent.

3 The long list of problems in the industry were identified by Parliament in 2015 and should have been addressed then and should be addressed now.

4 The much vaunted "taking control of our borders" allows us to permit foreign workers to meet specific labour shortages. We should do that in these circumstances, as requested by every employer and industry group that I know about.

Jonathan

[Jdsk]

Doesn't sound that attractive a career to me, esp. at £10/hr

The working conditions have been a problem for a long time. It's disgraceful that they haven't been addressed.

Here's the 2015 report from the Parliamentary inquiry:
https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/c ... ulereports

Sleeping in laybys, peeing in bottles and having to crap in a carrier bag in your cab is not for everyone. And all for not much more than the minimum wage - no wonder there is a shortage of drivers.

I don't know the facts about the pay (more, please), but those conditions are appalling.

And of course it's much easier to blame foreigners.

Jonathan

[Pebble]

It has never been a well paid job, but back in the 80s / 90s if you were working all the hours and away all week money could be OK, Then came more and more ee drivers who would be more than happy to work for the minimum and not get paid for the hours spent idle (if you have to sit and wait for 2 or 3 hours to get tipped or loaded and not get paid for that time). In the buttock end of the industry this started to become the norm.
Of course there still is good jobs driving for blue chip companies and plenty of smaller family run outfits who have always looked after their drivers well, although even here you will have nights in laybys or trading estates with no facilities. Plus plenty of factories where you may find yourself for 2 or 3 hours and they won't let you use their toilets!

Hopefully the current situation will bring about change, but I doubt it. Pity really, the haulage industry could bring the country to its knees in 24 hours, nothing works or happens without wagons on the the road but unfortunately too many hauliers and drivers only too eager to cut each others throats., I doubt things will change much in the long term, but at least for the moment drivers will see a bit more of the money they deserve,

[Oldjohnw]

Surely, the best hung to do is simply remove all restrictions (except those keeping out foreigners) which limit hours, impose holidays, minimum pay and pensions like this dreadful people in Europe get, and just leave it to the market? A true bonfire of red tape!

[ChrisButch]

Some time ago the owner of a haulage company was a regular poster here. Can't remember his screen name - began with H, I think. It would be interesting to hear his views, if he still looks at this site.

[ossie]

I had to give a statement to the DVSA recently concerning malpractice at a main dealer.

The location was a testing station for HGV's drivers. I was told that due to covid closures there were literally thousands of people waiting for tests UK wide. The demand is there, its just getting people through.

Hopefully it drives wages up for UK hauliers.