As the UK faces a shortage of truck drivers, youngsters could offer a glimmer of hope for the future of HGV transport, advises a leading driving experience provider.
Indeed, children as young as 10 years old can get their first experience of driving a HGV with TrackDays.co.uk by getting in the cab and learning some basic driving skills.
And with the Road Haulage Association (RHA) saying there is currently a shortage of 100,000 drivers in the UK, there could be plenty of vacancies to fill by those youngsters who decide it is the career for them.
Factors for the current shortage include Brexit, with foreign drivers no longer available, and the ongoing effects of the pandemic, which has resulted in thousands of HGV driving tests being lost.
Dan Jones, operations manager at TrackDays.co.uk, said: “The UK faces a very real problem with the current shortage of truck drivers.
“Long term planning offers one solution, encouraging youngsters to experience driving a HGV at a very early age so they can see if it’s something that interests them is one of the potentially effective ways to help address the issue.”
An actual junior truck driving experience really puts youngsters to the test, and involves taking the wheel of a 480 bhp DAF truck under the guidance of a HGV instructor.
Youngsters then drive the huge vehicle around a specially designed course, using no less than 16 gears and are presented with a driving experience certificate upon completion.
Dan added: “Children as young as 10 years old are getting behind the wheel of a HGV and showing the adults how it’s done. As well as being great fun, a junior truck driving experience also gives youngsters a confidence boost as they discover a new skill.”
For more information about TrackDays.co.uk, visit www.trackdays.co.uk, while budding young truckers wanting to jump in the cab should visit https://www.trackdays.co.uk/experience/junior-truck-driving-experience/1963/.
Maybe the government should be doing what they did back in the early 2000s.
Back then you could get funding to help with getting your hgv licence.
I have personally wanted to be a hgv driver since a early age but because of the cost of the licence it has always been out of my reach.
Even now at the age of 46 I would still like to get my licence. THE GOVERNMENT NEED TO HELP WITH TESTS IT’S THE ONLY WAY OUT OF THIS MESS.
They are still doing Goverment Funding for people to get their HGV Licenses as I am going for my Class 2 at the end of the month and it has been fully funded, going to work for my Class 1, or see if any company can offer to help me get it.