Road freight transport is critical to the continued growth, prosperity and welfare of Australia. Due to the vast land size and dispersed population, Australia is heavily dependent on road transport, with over 75 per cent of non-bulk domestic freight carried on roads. And this demand is only expected to considerably increase, with a predicted doubling of freight demands from 2010 to 2030. However, despite demand increases, the heavy vehicle industry is currently under pressure from severe driver shortages and an image problem. The low numbers of youth, females and indigenous Australians entering the industry has resulted in a workforce lacking in the diversity to help meet labour demands. It has been suggested that the rate of recruitment will need to increase by 150 per cent in order to account for the simultaneous pressures of increased road freight services demand and the loss of retiring drivers. There have been two key factors attributed to the driver shortage (also referred to as the issue of driver availability), one is a negative driver image and the second a lack of driver training. This includes but is not limited to the following issues: truck driving is not perceived as a desirable profession due to being away from home, long hours, work/life balance, pay and negative perception in the media; barriers for younger drivers, such as limited training opportunities, no nationally recognised qualification, high cost of obtaining a heavy vehicle licence, limited progression of licence classes and limited flexibility in work hours; higher insurance premiums creating a barrier for employers to employ younger drivers; and barriers for female drivers, such as the lack of female-friendly amenities and limited flexible work hours for parents.
This report provides timely insights into the decreasing number of truck drivers entering the industry. It shows that despite improving working conditions and industry innovations, the industry is still combatting negative public perception. The research identified: the reality of driver shortage in the industry; a clear issue with driver image in Australia; the importance of the driver availability issue to the industry; the influences towards and effects of negative driver image; a strong appetite for the industry to help in finding a solution to the driver shortage; and a range of initiatives to help in resolving the driver availability issue.
Excerpts from publication.
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