Demand For HGV Truck Drivers Explodes in the UK as wages soar to an all-time High, Wages for lorry drivers in the UK are soaring as logistics businesses rush to increase staffing levels to clear the growing backlog of delivery orders, according to fresh figures published today.
Up to 4,000 people will soon be able to take advantage of training courses to become HGV drivers, as part of a package of measures announced today (25 September 2021) by the government to ease temporary supply chain pressures in food haulage industries, brought on by the pandemic and the global economy rebounding around the world.
Indeed Jobs has said that salaries for driving jobs in the UK have surged more than seven times faster than the normal average wage growth recorded for all job types in the UK. With some supermarkets advertising roles for as much as £57,000 a year.
And the shortage has sent wages soaring with other leading retailers.
Logistics companies such as Gist, which delivers for Tesco, M&S, Aldi, Morrisons, and Ocado, is offering annual pay of up to £56,674 for LGV drivers.
And Waitrose has upped its wages to £53,780, as well as a £1,000 joining bonus.
The supermarket chain says that over the past 18 months it has increased its pay for truckers by £7,000.
A lorry driver earning £53,780 a year would be making more than the average salary for secondary school teachers (£40,880), solicitors (£43,190), and architects (£42,930).
2021 could be the year of the Truck Driver, some things to think about if you plan on becoming a truck driver. The more training you receive and the more experience you have will see this number rise dramatically and the most experienced and qualified drivers can expect to earn over £40k per year and maybe more. In conclusion, HGV driving is a valuable and rewarding career, and in 2021 is more important than ever.
High Staff Turnover
Also bear in mind that the pay increases are instead prompting many drivers to bounce from company to company, leading to a high staff turnover with drivers following the money trail.
The average annual turnover rate for drivers is about 95% for the main carriers, the area of the industry that moves trailer-size shipments long distances. Logistics companies are experiencing the industry's most severe driver shortages.
HGV Training Courses in the UK
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