The impact of COVID-19 on HGV Drivers

Many sectors have been rightly praised and singled out as key workers during the coronavirus pandemic but there has been little discussion on the role HGV drivers have played. As with other industries the transport and logistics sector have been heavily impacted by COVID-19. Some parts of the industry have seen a huge rise in demand, online orders have increased 34% from 2019 (British Retail Consortium) which is largely down to retail shops being closed due to lockdown restrictions. Other parts of the sector, such as companies that deal with the hospitality industry have seen a sharp drop in demand.

According to a study by ITV news, there was also a shortage of 76,000 HGV Drivers in the UK in 2020, the delaying of many training courses due to COVID-19 means this number will only increase. As a result of the average age of a driver is 57, this puts them at a higher risk of hospitalisation if they contract COVID. At Jayco we go against the trend as the average age of our current drivers is 39 years old and we are in a fortunate position of having lots of work available as our client base has grown rapidly over the past 2 years.

During the start of the pandemic, it was also reported that HGV Drivers were unable to access hot food, changing and toilet facilities. All of has had an impact on mental health of the drivers in an already heavily isolated job role. Drivers who are required to travel oversees have also had to deal with increased queues at the border due to COVID testing becoming a requirement when travelling to Europe.

 Drivers have also had to adhere to new safety guidelines;

·     Hand sanitiser must be available in the cab.

·     Wear gloves if possible.

·     Keep two metres away from others.

·     Minimalise contact with documents.

·     Clean and wipe down cab after the shift is finished.

It's fair to say COVID-19 has had a huge impact on transport and logistics industry but they have shown great resilience and adaptability, this has but them in a position to come back even stronger in 2021.

If you are looking for a new driver role, we are always looking to increase of HGV Class 1 and Class 2 temporary work bank. We supply to a number of clients around the North East area who have a variety of transport needs. Both day and night shifts are available and pay rates range from £10.00 to £15.50 per hour. Interested? Please send your CV to paul.reay@jaycorec.co.uk or call 0191 691 4200 for more details.