RHA response to the Department for Transport announcement to extend the drivers’ hours relaxation until 3 October:
Relaxing drivers’ hours won’t make any material difference to the HGV driver shortage, and fails to address the underlying issues which require a package of measures to fix.
RHA Chief Executive, Richard Burnett said, “We reiterate that extending drivers’ hours can be counterproductive by making the job less attractive, especially at a time when firms are struggling to recruit and retain staff.
“Drivers’ hours regulations were originally devised on safety grounds to ensure that drivers were not put in the position of driving for excessive periods of time. Putting tired drivers behind the wheel for longer is not the answer; drivers’ hours are limited for a reason and should only be relaxed as a last resort for short-term issues which can’t be resolved otherwise.
“We have offered ministers a range of short and long-term solutions in our 12-point plan to tackle the crisis, including better support for training and apprenticeships, improved on-road facilities, and temporary visas for overseas drivers.”
The industry is seeing driver pay rates substantially increase as the crisis continues. Suppliers and retailers should be prepared that these additional costs will have to be passed on.
MOST ESTABLISHED DRIVERS / TRAMPERS WILL HAVE BEEN TOLD BY THE PUSH YOU TO THE LIMITS EMPLOYER ” IF YOU DONT LIKE IT, DE- KIT,AND SHUT THE DOOR ON YOUR WAY OUT. . WELL, THAT SOUNDS LIKE A GOOD IDEA, AND WHY, THE STORM THAT HAS BEEN BREWING FOR OVER A DECADE HAS NOW HIT HOME, WE DONT LIKE IT, WE DONT LIKE THE THE LOW WAGES, THE OVER PRICED, OVER CROWDED SUB STANDARD WELFARE FACILITIES CALLED ” SERVICE STATIONS” DONT MAKE ME BLOODY LAUGH , THE ASSUMPTION THE TRUCK COMES BEFORE OUR WIVES, OUR CHILDREN, OUR LIVES., THE FACT WE HAVE TO PUT UP WITH EXPENSIVE MEDICALS, CPC COURSES EVERY 12 MONTHS, OR 35 HOURS EVERY 5 YEARS, THE CONTEMPT IS ENDLESS, NO WONDER DRIVERS ARE JUMPING AT THE OPPORTUNITY TO HIT BACK, IF CHEAP LABOUR HAD NOT BEEN ALLOWED TO FESTER AND WE WERE PAID OUR WORTH FROM DAY ONE THEN THE UK WOULD NOT BE FACED WITH THIS CRISIS.
Life as a UK truck driver has changed dramatically.The enforcement of driving hours is now looking to be relaxed putting the commercial benefits before that of safety. Every driver and employer should remember they have a duty of care to themselves staff and other road users. Making a mockery of the UK law will not stand up in the blame game and I advice all drivers too adhere to good practices and don’t bow to company tactical bullying as fatigue kills destroys health and family life and when your in trouble you get abandoned. Companies
You can allow longer driver hours, that doesn’t mean we will do them, I have been a class 1 driver for 43 years and have one personal rule, when I am tired I stop,
The suggestion to give foreign drivers a temporary visa I feel is wrong considering in some countries the only test needed would be a tractor test which would allow them to drive a full size articulated vehicle in this country. This is wrong and completely unfair to drivers here who have to jump through so many hoops and attain very high standards to be allowed to drive these types of vehicles.
Typical of this government total air heads have no idea of reality. Shapps the fool proberly doesn’t know what a track is. When you have cowboy companies operating it will always be the same you will do it. I know they tried it with me. Goodbye was my answer. You have kids telling you what to do. Still in there nappies. No cpc and plan you for a 15 hour day. I just smile at them. Idiots in a profession they know nothing about.