Truck driver, UK truck shortage could soon hit the rest of Europe

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Trucks and automobiles approach the Dartford Tunnel in the UK on September 3, 2021.

Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty Images

LONDON – The UK truck driver shortage is not just a UK problem, experts say, with the wider continent also facing a shortage and potential supply chain issues.

There was more than a whiff of “schadenfreude” (or delight in the woes of others) in mainland Europe last week as the UK faced an oil crisis. There were long lines of cars outside British gas stations and even brawls on the forecourt as panic buying spread across the country amid a shortage of truck drivers able to deliver fuel.

Brexit has been cited as one of the main reasons for the shortage of truck drivers, although the sector’s problems run deeper and are found across Europe, industry experts noted. A June survey of 616 industry figures by the Road Haulage Association found retired drivers, changing work rules, the Covid pandemic, low wages and drivers leaving the industry were among the reasons lack of drivers.

The association, which has been warning of a driver shortage for months, says the UK truck driver shortage currently stands at 100,000; before the pandemic, there was an estimated shortage of over 60,000 drivers.

Elsewhere, supply chain issues came to the fore in Britain during the pandemic, as truckers were unable to enter or exit the country easily, causing long lines at ports and borders and resulting in food and medicine shortages.

Such problems continued, however, as the pandemic subsided, revealing the challenges of Brexit and the UK’s new trade relationship with the EU. Experts and industry leaders say they have warned the government of the consequences of Brexit’s impact on the country’s workforce, with several key industries dependent on European workers, such as agriculture, healthcare and transport. Not being able to attract seasonal staff is a particular concern for farmers who say they face situations where crops cannot be harvested or livestock processed due to a lack of experienced workers.

The rest of Europe is watching with interest the UK’s supply chain problems and labor shortages, especially given the recent bitter divorce between the UK and the EU at the after Brexit.

The French newspaper Liberation headlined its end-September issue with a reflection on the consequences of Brexit, ranging from the departure of the long-awaited European workers (which is not only felt in the heavy-duty industry, but also in sectors such as than agriculture) to its supply chain crisis.

Meanwhile, the opportunity was not lost for Olaf Scholz, who could be the next German Chancellor, to remind the British that they had voted for Brexit and therefore could not expect the benefits of the membership of the EU.

“Free movement of workers is part of the European Union and we have worked very hard to convince the British not to leave the union. They have decided differently and I hope they will deal with the problems that arise from it,” said Scholz said, adding that wages and working conditions could also exacerbate Britain’s problems.

The average salary of a truck driver in the UK is around 30,000 ($ 40,600), while in Germany the salary is around 41,000 euros (around 35,000 or $ 47,500), according to Salary Expert, although it can be much higher (or lower) depending on experience. and may also vary by region, note transport experts.

Shortages in Europe

The UK is not alone when it comes to driver shortages, however, and experts warn parts of mainland Europe could also face its own trucker shortages soon enough.

“We are not yet in such a dire and desperate situation, but it could happen,” Frank Huster, director general of the Federal Association for Transit and Logistics of Germany, told CNBC on Thursday.

He noted that while Brexit has “certainly had an impact” on the UK, the wider European transport sector faces a long-standing problem of a shortage of workers.

“The logistics sector lacks qualified personnel such as truck drivers but also trained locomotive drivers, inland waterway workers, terminal workers, as well as managers … We have fewer and fewer people. to work in Western markets, “he added.

Analysis firm Transport Intelligence published a study on “European Driver Shortages” in August in which it assessed the severity of shortages in various European countries, a problem it said has grown in recent years. He estimated that across Europe the total driver shortage now exceeds 400,000, with European countries most affected being Poland, the UK and Germany.

Transport Intelligence research examined driver shortages in Europe

Transportation intelligence

John Manners-Bell, CEO of Transport Intelligence and expert in global supply chains and logistics, said the industry has been warning governments of shortages for many years.

In an editorial last week, he said that “the disruption of supply, rising prices, reports of empty shelves and, more recently, the fuel crisis, have put the spotlight on the industry. . Long-term structural problems have been exposed by a perfect storm of posts – Covid demand volatility, infrastructure failures, bureaucracy, Brexit and dismal wages and conditions. “

“Factors such as delays in heavy truck testing, inefficiency in processing licenses, an aging workforce and insufficient number of new recruits, due to working conditions and problems of image of the profession, torment the industry for many years, ”he added.

Manners-Bell said he hopes the current crisis will bring about positive changes in the industry, noting that “it is time for all stakeholders from industry associations in the sector, government, operators and shippers to come forward. support for plans to adapt road freight transport as an engine of sustainable economic growth.

‘Warning sign’

The UK’s experience over the past few weeks shows that it doesn’t take long for the public to start buying panic at the first sign of a potential shortage and the UK government’s call for Britons not to panicking to buy gas seems to have the opposite effect.

Over the weekend, shortages reportedly eased in most parts of the UK except London and the South East.

Members of the British army deliver fuel to garages from Monday to alleviate the shortage of drivers. Government officials also announced a package of measures to try to strengthen the industry in the run-up to Christmas, including easing visa rules to allow tanker drivers overseas to be able to work in the Kingdom immediately. United and an increase in the number of heavy goods vehicles. license test. The government also said in a statement last week that nearly one million drivers currently licensed to drive heavy trucks would be contacted to encourage them to return to the industry.

Kallum Pickering, senior economist at Berenberg Bank, said “the UK fuel crisis is a warning sign” and is not just a UK problem.

“The fuel crisis seems to be caused not by a lack of gasoline or diesel but by a lack of truck drivers compared to the very high demand for freight transport. Daily heavy truck usage data shows recent activity broadly in line Nonetheless, it didn’t take long for panic buying to begin once a few gas stations reported low stocks due to delayed fuel deliveries, ”he said in a note Monday.

“The driver shortage is not just a British problem – the United States and other major European economies are also facing structural shortages, albeit on a smaller scale as they do not suffer from the unique disruptions of the economy. Brexit in the UK. “

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