Drop in army drivers
Page 7
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
• A reduction in the number of military drivers moving into the road haulage industry after leaving the forces is exacerbating the driver shortage, a major trade association has warned.
John Hix, head of training and development at the Freight Transport Association, says this traditional rich source of recruitment has been diminishing because army recruitment is shrinking.
"Consequently this means that there are less coming out at the end of their service," he says. "But many of drivers that do come out are not coming into road haulage because they are looking at more attractive options elsewhere." Walter Ritchie, of Glasgowbased Rttchie HGV Training Centre, reports a "noticeable reduction in the number of people from the army". He blames poor wages in the industry.
An MoD spokesman concedes: it is very likely that the numbers have gone down because of the overall reduction in the army."
Hix explains that the haulage industry must find now fresh areas of new recruits.
He maintains: "One of the main areas employers have to tap into is looking to develop the ethnicity of the industry. We have to attract more people from the Asian and Caribbean communities."