SA bucks the global truck driver surfeit trend

Despite a number of reports from Europe, especially the UK, about worrying numbers of truck drivers now on the dole (collecting unemployment benefit), and unemployment being rife, SA still suffers from “a dearth” of quality, experienced drivers, according to Angela Dick, CEO of the major driver recruitment agency, Transman. Indeed, when told about this unemployment rate in the UK, Dick said: “Tell them to send them across here.” Although there are growing numbers of drivers in SA who have graduated from Code 8 (motor cars) to Code 10 (rigid commercial vehicle) licences, she told FTW, getting skilled drivers with Code 14 (articulated vehicle) tickets is near impossible. And that’s the case despite there being a downward crash in road transport volumes, and a consequent number of unemployed drivers. “No road transporters wants to lose their top quality staff,” Dick added, “because they know, when an upturn comes about, they would then also be left struggling to get replacement drivers with any articulated experience.” The call in the road transport industry is still for more training facilities to be established to try to overcome the shortage.