If you had the power to make big industry changes, what would you do? Specifically what would you do to attract and retain drivers?
It remains the biggest issue facing the industry. While recruitment initiatives among some operators are aimed at solving it, they are a relative drop in the ocean.
While pay is to a certain extent dictated by the market, it’s also about prestige. Too often, when asked what they do, many will say “I’m just a driver”. This sums up their attitude to their job. Does it sum up the industry’s too?
But, put yourself in a driver’s shoes and ask yourself what it’s like. Would you want to do the job? Where would you park your car, what are the facilities like?
And, in the case of coach drivers, more adventurous drivers take advantage of their layovers but many prefer to stay with their coach. What are the facilities like at the other end?
How happy would you be with four or so hours to kill in a cold coach park?
There are some places that are do provide coach drivers with a welcome and facilities, but these are few and far between. A hard-standing – increasingly not even with toilets – and pay-and-display machine are more typical fare.
And that’s even before we start considering the issue of unsocial hours. No wonder so few want to walk in drivers’ shoes.
