Fair Go for Owner Drivers

Over to you A FAIR GO FOR OWNER DRIVERS by Ray Pratt

The truck driver shortage has been the number one news dominating the transport industry for the last couple of years.

It should be pointed out that the transport industry had been issuing warnings for many years that the shortage of truck drivers was going to create a crisis within the industry. Nobody listened or acted until it was too late and then the panic set in when it became obvious that we were right.

So the question needs to be asked, what changes are being made by industry and Government now to address the driver shortage?

The Government has pledged large amounts of money to develop truck driving courses to encourage new drivers into the industry. While this is commendable - it’s all a bit too late.

The training courses are successful with drivers filling much needed driver vacancies. However, attracting people to the course in the volumes required is now a real challenge due to a record low unemployment rate which is not likely to change much so the numbers won’t make much difference when there are literally thousands of job vacancies.

Remember that we have a huge shortage of workers for a multitude of jobs all over Australia so it’s a big ask to fill transport jobs alone.

It’s also been suggested that we make it easier for migrants to enter the country in an effort to get drivers into the seats of trucks.

For many years we have had migrants come and take driver jobs but most would argue this has not been successful for safety.

Sure, there have been some drivers who have stepped up to the task of truck driving successfully but many are poorly trained and lack the necessary qualifications and experience to drive trucks safely.

This has created a whole lot of problems with road safety and poor load restraint and in general lowering of standards within the industry. It seems that Drivers Licenses were issued without proper training and we certainly don’t need untrained drivers sharing the roads with the general public.

Now to the transport companies… In the past, and I still hear it now how some after being trained, well if they were looked after and paid properly they would be thankful, remain loyal and give good service.

I believe the main factor that will solve the truck driver shortage is to look after our existing drivers and stop the exodus of good experienced drivers from leaving the transport industry.

The general treatment of truck drivers is not good and unless the industry recognises that we are skilled operators and our industry is an essential part of the economy we will not stop the exit of talented drivers.

I ceased being an Owner Driver many years ago. I loved the industry and owning my own truck but it was always a battle trying to survive on low rates, long work hours and poor work conditions. Transport management generally treated drivers ok but many times we felt their wrath if we were late with deliveries or the job didn’t work out as planned. It was a hard thankless job especially when we worked hard long hours for very little reward.

There is little point in trying to recruit more drivers into the transport industry unless we change the situation and make the industry more attractive.

All too often someone I know makes the same decision as I did and exits the transport industry for the same reason I did. When they leave they take a wealth of knowledge and experience. Let’s look after our existing work force and by doing so the transport industry will turn itself around and drivers will want to make a career out of transport.

This is what will solve the truck driver shortage. Is anyone listening?

transport companies are reluctant to put their hands into their own pockets to finance the training of their future workers.

When questioned about it the reply is usually we can’t afford it, it’s not our job and we will probably train them and then they will move on to better jobs.

Well I think they are wrong on every count. It’s their industry so why not encourage new drivers into the industry. They have the facilities and equipment and the most important thing they have are experienced drivers who can pass on a vast array of knowledge. As for them moving on Keep it safe, Ray Pratt.