HGV shortage - local training company say changing the rules may not be the answer

Changes - and a consultation on making other changes to how and how quickly HGV drivers can be on the roads - may not be the safe answer to the national shortage of drivers, says the local lorry driving school.

Mendip Driving Centre has told Nub News that examiners are now being asked to do an extra test a day, but that is infuriating them and they may take strike action, which could make the shortfall of drivers even worse.

Meantime there is a consultation underway, due to finish on September 7, on how to tackle the reported 100,000 shortfall on those drivers able to deliver around the UK. One option being considered is the so-called 'grandfather' option with drivers being able to drive-up to bigger vehicles.

Josef Harle of the Mendip Training Centre Ltd, Truck School

told us : " On a positive note the consultation on a revamp of the vocational training side of things could benefit the HGV sector but some people are worried about road safety.

"The car and trailer test is under consideration of being scrapped. This would mean going back to the older style of 'grandfather rights' so drivers passing their car test would be entitled to automatically tow caravans or horse trailers for example.

"I am unsure how they will implement this with recently passed drivers, if they would actually need to apply to get the entitlement put on their licence or if it would be an automatic right.. The thought behind this move is that the examiners which are usually tied up in the car and trailer tests could be freed up to deliver more HGV tests, hopefully increasing the number of HGV drivers.

" Is this a decision based on a knee jerk reaction or a properly thought through thing - Who knows ? Will road safety be affected - I think it will be, but we will have to wait for statistics on that. Will it actually come in? - only time will tell on that."

Missing out - will this make the roads less safe?

The other thing under consideration is allowing learner HGV drivers to miss out a category in the steps of HGV driving and go straight into the artic lorry.

He explained : " Currently, the process is to take a medical, theory and hazard perception test and practical training and test in a rigid lorry. Usually this is a 12 - 18t lorry but drivers will be able to drive up to 32t lorries with this licence provided the vehicle is rigid in body. Once they have passed that, they automatically gain the provisional entitlement to drive articulated lorries.

"They then take training and test in that and can drive the larger articulated 44t lorries. The plan is to bypass the rigid lorry test and allow drivers to apply for the articulated provisional licence straight away.

"Once that has been passed, they should automatically gain the entitlement to drive the smaller rigid lorries too. This decision has not been made but the idea is again to free up drivers wishing to progress and therefore half the number of tests examiners need to do, which will then allow more people to apply with the greater availability for testing. "

This is not something that he is particularly keen on

He said: " As a fully qualified driving instructor for nearly 19 years, I personally think this is a mistake. It is how things used to be done. This is a tried and tested method. You used to be able to get in an articulated lorry before even learning to drive a car if you wished. Pass that and you can drive anything (disregarding buses).

"They aren't considering going back to that process, however, I have lots of experience of learner HGV drivers struggling with the size of the vehicle after day three of the four day course. If they struggle with the smaller 18t vehicle, how does anyone expect they will be able to take in all of the information and size and process it all safely if they jump straight into an artic for training?

"Roads have changed since they used to use this method. Volume of traffic had increased. Car drivers are faster, riskier and that's even without mentioning pedestrians and the E scooters that are around! I just don't see how this can safely be executed and have a successful pass rate and create safe drivers."

Final thought : " I do not know how long they will take to implement the changes if they decide to. No doubt, they will let us know about the changes without informing us as usual."

A survey by the Road Haulage Association (RHA) estimates there is a shortage of about 100,000 drivers.

It is affecting deliveries of everything from supermarket goods to McDonalds milkshakes. But reports that Wetherspoons were running out of beer was not the case in The Palladium on the Midsomer Norton High Street today (September 2) . The busy venue had no warnings of any stock shortages.