HGV driver shortage an 'international issue' says O'Connor
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More than 15 percent of Britain’s van drivers are planning to quit their jobs within the next 12 months, new data from GoCompare has found. As of June 2021, Britain had seen a 5.2 percent yearly increase in van traffic, making up an 18.4 percent share of the roads.
The research found that if all 15 percent of drivers do choose to leave, this could equate to over 44,000 motorists quitting the industry.
This would leave a deficit of as many as 22,124 van drivers.
The UK has already seen issues with shortages for HGV drivers which has caused havoc in recent months.
There are also fears that this backlog could continue, and with Black Friday and Christmas around the corner, GoCompare are warning further problems could arise.
The car insurance company identified that many drivers are affected heavily by a number of factors.
Work-related stress, negative behaviour from other drivers, loneliness and poor working conditions are all taking their toll on workers in the industry.
Half of those who have suffered from stress attributed it to unrealistic expectations around deadlines and workload.
Loneliness also plays a part in the life of van drivers, with delivery drivers being the most likely occupation to encounter it.
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Around half of those struggling with loneliness admitted they often won’t have a single non-work-related conversation over a whole shift.
A further 50 percent of stressed-out drivers declared the pressure from unrealistic deadlines, targets and workload expectations was the highest cause of stress.
Ryan Fulthorpe, motoring expert at GoCompare, commented on the figures and said more needed to be done to help drivers.
He said: “Our research has revealed the shocking news that the UK may lose a significant number of van drivers over the next 12 months.
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