[News] There's no need to panic buy petrol

[portslade seagull]

I suspect the government has been banking on self driving HGV's for the past few years, without it ever becoming a reality.

Without the necessary truck stops with all available amenities it doesn't really appeal to the young. See plenty in the lay-by with their back doors open to stop possible damage by thieves but that shouldn't be the case.

 

[Bry Nylon]

Without the necessary truck stops with all available amenities it doesn't really appeal to the young. See plenty in the lay-by with their back doors open...

(Which lay-by?)

 

[boik]

We're off on our 'staycation' this weekend up north. Spoke to the hotel owner where we are staying and she questioned this fuel shortage. No problems here she said. All I've got to do though is get there.

Ahem. If you're staying in a hotel it's not a staycation. Have a great time tho.

 

[portslade seagull]

(Which lay-by?)

Hence the need for a pay rise

 

[Billy the Fish]

this is an interesting review from the Grocer https://www.thegrocer.co.uk/supply-...we-cant-blame-it-all-on-brexit/659841.article

reckons there's 230k HGV licence holders under 45 not working in haulage. thats nearly as many as working in industy across all ages. doesnt make sense really.

and back to fuel delivery, thats a subset presumbly a few hundred nationally, into double figures in the south east where this problem is focused.

One of those is a good mate of mine, he recently left the industry and went to an office job after 5 years of doing local shop deliveries. He was doing a 4 on 4 off pattern, he said it was pretty hard work as it's 12 hour days + your travel to/from the depot so your 4 on is a case of get up, work go home, sleep, repeat. He just wants a break for a year and will decide if he prefers the extra money.

He actually got a letter last week about going back to driving so they are actively trying to get these people back.

 

[Badger Boy]

I got a letter about returning to the industry as well, despite having retired. I don't miss the work or the lack of respect from other road users.

 

[GT49er]

Scrap HS2, use the money from that to develop top notch freight train infrastructure and employ these young HGV drivers to transport the containers etc from their nearest train hub to wherever it needs to go. 2 or 3 short trips per day, home for tea and cake. Sorted.

Trouble is so much rail infrastucture was ripped out in the last century, so it would take time (and investment) to create these hubs. Longer term, it is an excellent idea.

 

[southstandandy]

completely get that (know a driver), its more the claimed shortage of HGV drivers. we have a shortage of willing HGV drivers. drivers are going into HGV but not staying around. so we go back to the issues of conditions, long term decline in interest to do the job. what doesnt make so much sense is the claimed 30-50% shortfall in an industry, while more than sufficient trained people are available.

It's the same with so many other sectors too. If you want to work in hospitality or care for example you could walk in to a job tomorrow, but not enough of us Brits want to do these sorts of jobs, especially with such anti-social hours. It's not just about low pay either (as mentioned before the care company we use pay £15 per hour which although not great is above minimum wage, and they still can't get the staff).

HGV drivers have to suffer a lack of facilities, sleeping in their cabs, being away from home for ages, so I can see why not many would want to do this especially at just £40k.

We are all just going to have to accept that prises will continue to rise as a result.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

Where's Eddie Stobart when you need him

I saw quite a few Eddies on the M1 over the weekend.

No problem at all. filling up in Sheffield on Sunday to return home, but a carvery we went to, only had turkey on offer, because of a lack of delivery of other meats.

 

[Fignon's Ponytail]

Peacehaven is devoid of anything I noticed at lunchtime...but thats the case normally anyway, and not just for fuel....

 

[wunt be druv]

I have noticed a definite improvement today, went into the B.P. at Pyecombe and didn't even need to queue, have noticed a similar situation at many other sites, things are looking up! Let's hope we are starting to see an end to this mayhem.

 

[Dick Swiveller]

Went to the Tesco at Uckfield earlier and they were out of dried pasta. I am telling you - the name of this thread needs changing and we need the army delivering the bow tie ones asap. Shops will have limited opening hours just for pasta to avoid queues. A few weeks ago, it was tonic water and now this. Ignore the thread starter. TIME TO PANIC!




#DefundSwiveller

 

[vegster]

Trouble is so much rail infrastucture was ripped out in the last century, so it would take time (and investment) to create these hubs. Longer term, it is an excellent idea.

Nearly all the local railway sidings and shunting yards were sold off for housing..I don't think we can go back.

Sent from my I3312 using Tapatalk

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

I saw quite a few Eddies on the M1 over the weekend.

No problem at all. filling up in Sheffield on Sunday to return home, but a carvery we went to, only had turkey on offer, because of a lack of delivery of other meats.

**** me, I know that deliveries have been delayed, but that's nearly 9 months late!

 

[Norman Potting]

Went to the Tesco at Uckfield earlier and they were out of dried pasta. I am telling you - the name of this thread needs changing and we need the army delivering the bow tie ones asap. Shops will have limited opening hours just for pasta to avoid queues. A few weeks ago, it was tonic water and now this. Ignore the thread starter. TIME TO PANIC!

View attachment 141076


#DefundSwiveller

No Jammie Dodgers in our Tesco earlier - sort it out Boris

 

[nicko31]

I suspect the government has been banking on self driving HGV's for the past few years, without it ever becoming a reality.

Problems are about to ease the EU nations are sending 27 tanker drivers (one from each member) to back up the British army effort

 

[jessiejames]

Along the same lines, I was thinking it strange how, if there is a shortage of 100,000 HGV drivers, the effects had not been apparent to the man-in-the-street until relatively recently and, even then, only on a very minor scale.

So, when we were, say, 10,000 short, 30,000 short, 50,000 short and 80,000 short - given this has been a rising number over a period of years - no-one would have known based on availability of goods and the like. It feels to me as if it's only really been the last few months where there has been some empty shelves, which then brought the driver shortage into the mainstream.

We know HGV drivers can't work extra hours, or many extra hours, due to health and safety rules around driving hours, so the shortfall could not have been fully compensated for in that way.

Transport industry has always relied on Agency drivers to help them out. Most general haulage companies are based in the Midlands due to logistical, it ok having say 200 drivers willing to take up a.driving job in the south but there are very few based here. For me to get to work it's a 155 mile round trip, that's fine for me when I'm tramping in to work early Monday morning, out all week home Friday evening.

 

[jessiejames]

I got a letter about returning to the industry as well, despite having retired. I don't miss the work or the lack of respect from other road users.

Mine was sent back to Baroness whatever her name is with some choice words on it.

 

[Medwayseagull]

No Jammie Dodgers in our Tesco earlier - sort it out Boris

All attending the Tory party conference.

 

[jessiejames]

Where's Eddie Stobart when you need him

Well if he is anything like his drivers probably stuck under a bridge.