Government plans to tackle the lorry driving shortage

27 September 2021 | David Young

These plans follow the recently announced vocational test changes which will create an extra 50,000 lorry tests every year

Government plans to tackle the lorry driving shortage

These plans follow the recently announced vocational test changes which will create an extra 50,000 lorry tests every year.

DVSA has already delivered 50% more tests than were available before the pandemic.

Ministry of Defence driving examiners

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) has announced the immediate deployment of their Defence Driving Examiners (DDEs) to work alongside DVSA examiners

MoD examiners are fully trained to conduct lorry tests and will work alongside DVSA examiners providing thousands of extra tests over the next 12 weeks.

Tests will be added to the booking system and candidates and trainers will be able to book these additional tests.

These examiners will be in addition to the 40 extra vocational examiners that DVSA is currently recruiting following a recent recruitment campaign.

Delegated driving examiner changes

The government is bringing in legislation to allow delegated driving examiners at the 3 emergency services and the Ministry of Defence (MoD) to conduct driving tests for one another.

The change will help increase the number of lorry tests that we can carry out and will give the emergency services greater flexibility.

It will also allow NHS Ambulance Services and Foundation Trusts to carry out ambulance driving tests for their own employees.

The change was consulted on over the summer. We will provide further updates on when this legislation comes into force.

Employment opportunities for former lorry drivers

DfT, along with leading logistics organisations have worked with the DVLA to send nearly 1 million letters to thank HGV drivers for their vital role supporting our economy, and to encourage those who have left the industry to return.

The letter, which will arrive on doormats over the coming days, sets out the steps the road haulage sector is taking to improve the industry, including increased wages, flexible working and fixed hours.

HGV training courses

The Department for Education is investing up to £10m to create new Skills Bootcamps to train up to 3,000 more people to become HGV drivers.

The free, short, intensive courses will train drivers to be road ready and gain a Cat C or Cat C&E license, helping to tackle the current HGV driver shortage. An additional 1,000 people are expected to be trained through courses accessed locally and funded by the government's adult education budget.

Fuel tanker drivers need additional safety qualifications, which the Government will work with industry to ensure drivers can access as quickly as possible.

To help make sure new drivers can be road ready as quickly as possible, the Department for Transport (DfT) have also agreed to work with Driver and Vehicles Standards Agency (DVSA) to ensure that tests will be available for participants who have completed training courses as soon as possible.

An additional 1,000 people are expected to be trained through courses accessed locally and funded by the government's adult education budget.

There are currently 5 Level 2 certificates in driving goods vehicles available to take.

Previously, adults who took these qualifications had to pay for their own licences.

This change will be backdated and applied to anyone who started one of these qualifications on or after 1 August 2021.

Anyone who is interested in becoming a lorry driver should visit the National Careers Service website.

Employers in the industry can also take advantage of an additional £3,000 payment until 30 September for every new apprentice hired.