The government is now resorting to writing letters to people qualified to drive lorries including; Firemen Paramedics Germans living in Britain who got their license before a certain date But there's no critical shortage, nothing to see here....
Apparently. From what I've read it's anyone with a HGV license not currently driving lorries. They must be people who used to drive lorries but then trained to be paramedics.
It’s basically any person who is on the data base that’s held a HGV licence, it includes people who have left the industry etc. Started coming out about 2 weeks ago.
74 year old father in law got one of these letters. He's not drove a lorry in over 10 years. But they're not desperate, no panic, nowt to do with Btexir.
According to Private Eye one way to boost the numbers of HGV drivers is to make the test easier to pass. E.g. No requirement to drive a rigid vehicle before moving on to an artic. No requirement for reversing S test (?) Thus drivers can learn on the job. In the words of Sir Robert Mark "I believe this to be a major contribution to road safety."
I received a letter signed from bojo last week asking if I’d get back on the road. I’d love that Boris, slight problem mind… I’m still on the road.
Loads of HGV drivers like me who have left the industry due to 60+ hours a week no work life balance poor wages poor treatment poor washing facilities and generally been treated like scum
Private Eye are correct - the test has been made easier to pass to get more drivers onto the roads and 3 stand out highlights are: you can go straight from driving a car to a 44 ton artic with no need to work your way up via fixed bed trucks The reversing part has been scrapped!! maybe they want to encourage more women ? ( not my view) they don't need to be able to hook up and decouple a tractor and trailer Its like someone asked Baldrick to come up with a cunning plan to solve this problem - apart from Baldricks plans were less stupid
Add to that Raaaaaaaaaaab also wants those currently residing in a prison to be trained. What next, any kids who had a tonka tipper truck growing up will automatically qualify?
As an aside I wonder what our hated enemies in the EU will make of this - its not hard to imagine France refusing to accept a british HGV licence as valid for driving on their roads if the test misses out what any rational person would consider essential requirements
How about letting them out on day release to drive the trucks is not like they have anything better to do with their time - maybe have a few training as butchers - some are already well qualified for that anyway I heard by the way that amongst others getting the call up Herr J Klopp of Liverpool got such a letter - I wonder if he said yes
I do wonder how long it will be before there is a serious attempt from our democratically elected champions of free speech to close down subversive propaganda from rags such as private eye
Reversing and coupling and decoupling still have to be demonstrated capability, just not at test anymore. They are basically asking the trainers to sign them off as capable prior to the test. Given the reversing can take a fair amount of the test up, I can see the theoretical logic behind it to save time and therefore fit more tests in. That said, I think it is ridiculous as both are intrinsic parts of the job. Can’t wait to see the stories of drivers turning up and not being able to revers into a bay etc.
Surely if they were trying to attract more women, they'd do away with the need to use rear view mirrors!