At Insite, we are committed to providing UK companies with hassle-free driver training to meet the needs of both small and large-scale licence acquisition programmes and it would seem that our services are going to be in even greater demand in the coming months. That’s because a number of companies are warning of a crisis point in the UK’s HGV driver shortage in the coming months.

UK HGV driver shortages are nothing new, of course, however, with Brexit all but eliminating recruitment from the continent, a major Covid-19 impacted driving test backlog and reforms in the self-employment tax rules, it’s led to something of an exodus of drivers out of the UK market. Throw in the fact that almost ⅓ of all UK HGV drivers are 55 and over and the shortage is sure to reach crisis point – and soon.

Unprecedented Levels of Concern

Major bodies from within the UK’s logistics sector have expressed acute concern about the situation, with the Road Haulage Association (RHA) and Logistics UK sharing the opinion that their members have never been quite as concerned about things as they are now. Even the Financial Times is reporting that some goods are already failing to reach UK shops due to the problem that some feel has already reached something of a crisis.

For the HGV driving sector, Covid-19 and all of its associated lockdowns and restrictions couldn’t have come at a worse time. All the coronavirus-related cancellations have largely stopped domestic recruitment and whilst it represents a ‘quiet storm’ that’s not yet caused a widespread impact on the consumer, this is likely to change into a ‘hurricane’ with escalating tensions between hauliers and suppliers.

UK Government Remains Firm On Foreign Recruitment

A potential change that could help UK companies gain access to the HGV driving skills they need is for truck drivers to be considered as highly skilled workers. This would allow businesses to recruit foreign drivers, however, the government is as yet remaining firm on not changing the status of the occupation to be eligible for skilled worker visas to be granted.

Paul Day, managing director of Turners Soham, which employs eastern Europeans as 40% of its workforce said on the matter “If the government is not going to change its position on this, then it will put 15 to 20% on transport costs in the UK. Is that something UK plc is really ready for?”. A worrying situation indeed for UK businesses over the coming Summer months.

Experiencing Driver Shortages of Your Own?

The path towards rectifying the ongoing driver shortage issues is surely going to be a long and arduous one and it’s likely to get worse before it gets better. However, if you are a company that’s already experiencing driver shortage issues, an effective alternative way to address the problem is to upskill members of your current workforce, rather than look externally.

At Insite, we offer a fully managed service across the UK that delivers pass rates around 75% higher than the industry standard. Our team understands the challenges that large-scale licence acquisition presents and our team has the experience and know-how to deliver training across every licence category to include CPC, HIAB, ADR, and forklift driving qualifications.

If you would like to know more about us and how we work, click ‘Get in Touch’ below, or give us a call on 0330 818 8888 to discuss your training requirements.

Travis Perkins PLC, one of the UK’s largest suppliers of building materials to the building and construction industry, has selected Insite as its license acquisition partner.

Insite, the UK’s leading provider of licence acquisition programmes, will support Travis Perkins candidates in achieving professional driver status in UK driving licence Categories B+E, C and C+E.

As the largest provider of LGV and PCV training in the UK, Insite design in-house training programmes which combat the challenges associated with driver training, and deliver a skilled, stable and reliable workforce.

The ambitious agreement between Travis Perkins and Insite, includes a five-week timeframe for Category B+E, 12 – 14 week timeframe for Category C and 12 – 14 weeks for Category C+E.

Insite will support Travis Perkins candidates across four main areas:

• Driver Medical
• Provisional Entitlement
• Theory Stage and Test
• Practical Training and Test

Phil Corbett, Procurement Manager, Fleet Business Services for Travis Perkins says:

“Our objective was to partner with a provider with a robust managed service approach, supported by quality front and back end systems, to supply faster and better licence acquisition for candidates suited to the role, and ultimately supporting our wider professional driver programme objectives.

It became clear very quickly that Insite has the systems and coverage to deliver a fully managed service with potential to transform our licence acquisition.

It is our belief that a partnership with Insite will drive value and continuous improvement in this category and that we will enjoy greatly improved visibility, lower wastage and a more transparent billing structure.”

Darren Clapich, Head of Business Development for Insite says:

“We’re delighted to be selected by Travis Perkins to provide licence acquisition services.”

“Licence acquisition is the fastest way for a business to build its next generation of drivers.” explains Clapich. “Efficient professional driver training schedules are essential for ensuring operators have the skills they need within their fleets.”

Insite has a network of more than 150 medical providers for its driver medicals, which means it can select the earliest available appointment from multiple centres in the candidate’s area.

It also has access to the earliest available dates from multiple theory test centres in the candidate’s locale.

“We proactively reach out to candidates as soon as they have taken their theory test to ascertain whether they’ve passed and, if they have, immediately move onto booking the practical element of the course. We then choose the soonest practical course available from among multiple training centres in the locale,” Clapich concludes.

Insite clients receive a dedicated SLA Account Manager who is responsible for programme delivery, and transparent if things go wrong.

Data from its centres helps the training provider optimise pass rates, reduce completion times, minimise travel and match candidates with instructors.

All instructors are fully qualified, highly trained and engage in regular Continuing Professional Development (CPD).

As transport professionals continue to be tested, Insite is here to ensure the UK has the drivers to keep transport moving, so if you would like to find out more about us and our industry-leading services, click ‘Get in Touch’ below. Alternatively, if you would like to talk to us about your training needs, give us a call on 0330 818 8888.

At Insite, we regularly produce blogs like this one to inform and educate our readers about events and news that’s occurring in the haulage and logistics sector. Today we bring you news about the Department of Transport (DfT) and Highways England who are being threatened with formal legal action over the proposed new 300 miles of Smart Highways In the UK.

The scheme plans to have these extra miles of highway in place by 2025 and it’s part of a move that’s aiming to better manage traffic in a way that keeps cost and environmental damage to a minimum by not having to build additional lanes. The main issue of contention is that these proposed motorways don’t feature a hard shoulder and are therefore unnecessarily dangerous.

Damning New Safety Report

The lack of a hard shoulder represents a major safety issue according to a study prepared by transport specialists Royal Haskoning DHV. The data from the study shows that hard shoulder-free  ‘all-lanes-running’ (ALR) smart motorways increase the risk of breaking down by some 216%

Further to this, when compared to other types of motorway, ALRs offer the lowest levels of safety and as such, the government’s decision to press ahead with them is seen as ill-advised. The enlightening details of the report took over a year to research and create and the legal action centres around the fact that a cost-driven approach borders on the irresponsible in this case.

A Refusal to Scrap the Smart Motorway Plan

The government has hitherto refused to scrap their smart motorway plan, but transport secretary Grant Shapps has admitted that it was launched too early. However, this doesn’t go far enough for Claire Mercer who’s husband Jason died on a section of ALR on the M1 back in June of 2019.

Speaking through her solicitor, Mercer said “We call on the Department for Transport, Grant Shapps, and Highways England to acknowledge that the development and roll out of ALRs was flawed.

They must act in accordance with their legal duties and take action to improve safety, or face formal legal action. Smart motorways are death traps and I want to prevent any future fatalities on smart motorways.”

A Crucial Time Ahead for Smart Motorways

The Royal Haskon DHV report came after Shapps told MPs of his intention to delay the publication of Highways England’s report into the safety of smart motorways in order for the Office for Rail and Road to review the findings. It would seem that the government has some pretty important decisions to make in the near future in order, with possible litigation and a lengthy public inquest into the matter.

At Insite, we provide hassle-free driver training for businesses right the way across the UK, so if you would like to find out more about us and our industry-leading services, click the link below. Alternatively, if you would like to talk to us about your training needs, give us a call on 0330 818 8888.

At Insite, we have our finger on the pulse of all the latest news that affects the haulage and logistics industry and today we talk about the new HMRC IR35 tax regulations that were introduced on April 6th 2021. The new rules state that large and medium-sized haulage agencies that turnover more than £10m per annum or have in excess of 50 employees are now no longer able to hire drivers who are working as a limited company.

The changes that have been made by the HMRC in order to make tax evasion more difficult mean that drivers now need to be employed on a pay as you earn (PAYE) basis by either the agency, haulier or the umbrella company. What this does is change the onus to the agency, which now needs to ensure that any agency worker they use is employed in accordance with the rules.

The Agency or End Client is Now Responsible

Under the new guidelines, the agency in question is responsible for deducting the correct level of tax and contributions to National Insurance at source. Self employed drivers have been warned by Alistair Kendric – RHA road transport tax consultant – that they need to meet the definition of being self-employed as per HRMC’s new IR35 rules.

He explains “For a driver to be considered self-employed, HMRC would expect them to be undertaking the work in their own vehicle – so not driving an agency truck and having their own operator’s licence.

If the driver uses the agency’s vehicle, is told what to do and when to do it, then HMRC will not accept that the driver is self-employed and the company using them will end up being fined ”.

The Important of Checking Driver Status

The government has set up a ‘Check Employee Status for Tax’ or CEST tool for operators wanting to determine the status of any driver they’re looking to employ. If after using the tool, it’s determined that IR35 rules apply, it’s the operator’s duty to alert the driver in question and any other relevant person in the supply chain.

If the process isn’t followed correctly, then the operator is then liable for both NI contributions and income tax, as well as interest accrued and penalties.

Upskilling is Now a More Viable Route

What this rule change means for UK companies is that hiring agency drivers is going to get more difficult and with UK HGV drivers already being in short supply, a different approach is needed. The most financially viable approach would now seem to be the upskilling of existing employees, such as warehouse workers into HGV drivers.

The good news is that accessing the training required for this upskilling is easier and more cost-effective than ever before as you’ll see when looking at Insite’s driver training offering.

Simple, Stress-Free HGV Training for Businesses

As the reality of this new landscape sets in, UK companies will almost certainly be in need of top quality HGV training to meet their haulage needs and as the country’s leading exponent, we’re perfectly situated to provide it. We have vast experience in the field and a firm understanding of the challenges of large-scale HGV licence acquisition.

If you would like to know more about us and our industry-leading HGV driver training services for businesses, get in touch using the link below, or if you’d like to discuss your training needs directly, call us on 0330 818 8888 and we’ll be delighted to talk you through your options.

In recent weeks green energy and fossil fuels have featured heavily in popular headlines. President Biden, in his first few days in office, showed commitment to fighting climate change by promising a $2 trillion investment in clean energy over four years, aiming for 100 per cent clean electricity by 2035, according to a report in the Independent. On this side of the pond, Boris Johnson has been criticised for his plans for a new coal mine in Cumbria. (However, he’s also banning supertrawlers to preserve the UK’s marine life and pushing his green agenda, so I think it’s safe to say he’s coming for transport.)

At the same time, Shell is reporting that oil demand has slumped, and the loss of more than 300 North Sea jobs, as nations moved away from fossil fuels.

So what does this all mean for UK logistics?

The UK logistics industry has been working hard to reduce its carbon emissions. We’ve been doing a good job. But it’s not as easy to switch off fossil fuel use as it is for Boris to switch hats. I fully support his green direction, I just hope he fully supports us back.

In a report entitled Developing Greener Supply Chains (DGSC) from the Industrial Strategy Council, we learn how DHL is leading a UK government-funded trial of truck platooning, enabling groups of trucks to follow each other on major roads. The proximity of trucks helps to improve aerodynamics by reducing wind resistance, thereby reducing fuel consumption.

Late last year Boris launched a Ten Point Plan for a Green Industrial Revolution. Point 4 is most relevant to us, Accelerating the shift to zero emission vehicles.

The plan says: “With cars and vans making up nearly a fifth of emissions, we are taking decisive action to end the sale of new petrol and diesel cars and vans by 2030, with all vehicles being required to have a significant zero emissions capability (for example plug-in and full hybrids) from 2030 and be 100% zero emissions from 2035.”

The plan also says it will publish a green paper on the UK’s post-EU emissions regulations and they plan to build a “world-leading EV supply chain.” It also says there’s £1.3 billion available to accelerate the roll out of charging infrastructure.

The DGSC report discusses how “carbon taxes are expected to increase in line with environmental targets over time, and how this will impose further costs on carbon-intensive industries and may increase the range of industries required to pay the carbon tax.”

It also says, “The recent announcement of the Energy White Paper sets out the government’s plan to cut emissions from industry, transport, and buildings over the next decade. This includes the implementation of a net-zero carbon cap and trade market, aligning the cap with an appropriate net-zero trajectory. “

The DGSC report is a useful read. It reflects a new era, a supply chain which may one day be unrecognisable to those of today. Vehicles are likely to operate differently, and training requirements will change.

As the UK’s national provider of professional driver training, we have courses for every professional driving licence category in the UK, along with HIAB, ADR, Driver CPC and forklift training.

As our roads and vehicles change, our team of in-house experts will ensure that our training matches requirements, ahead of time, so our clients aren’t caught short.

If you would like to know more about us or what we offer, get in touch. Alternatively, if you would like to discuss your HGV training requirements with us directly, simply call us on 0330 818 8888 and our friendly team will be more than happy to assist.

My 80-year-old grandmother received her first online delivery during lockdown. She enjoyed her first online quiz, her first online theatre production. The lockdown invited unlikely people to go digital, and they did.

We went online too. We started delivering our CPC Training online, to ensure drivers remained compliant during lockdown, very much a driver-reliant period.

Back in March last year, some consumers panicked, forcing supermarkets to restrict online deliveries and limit the number of individual items shoppers could order. I hope those stockpilers have got through their 400 cans of mixed beans…

Supermarket stockpiling

The supermarkets did an incredible job feeding the nation. Highly robust UK supply chains mean the risk of running out of food was low to none. No need to panic or create disruption with stockpiling.

This pandemic has catalysed the use of online delivery methods, and we’re all feeling the effects.

In a BBC report online grocer Ocado said the shift to internet shopping amid lockdown has led to a “permanent redrawing” of the retail landscape. Sales for the company jumped 27% to more than £1 billion in the first half of 2020.

Years of growth in online shopping has happened in just months. New online delivery models were introduced by all types of businesses, from wholesalers to restaurants to garden centres. Digital delivery has accelerated, so what does all this mean for the delivery driver?

For some time now the last-mile delivery driver has been the new ‘shop assistant’. It’s a driver’s smile that accompanies a branded box in 2020 and leaves a lasting impression.

Then there are the drivers who are less visible to the end-user. The drivers transporting the goods to supermarkets in Large Good Vehicles (LGVs). Has their role been recognised by the toilet-roll-grabbers of this world?

Key workers

A Welsh Government minister has thanked logistics staff for keeping Wales stocked through the COVID-19 crisis and pledged his support for the industry through recovery.

Ken Skates MS, minister for economy, transport and North Wales wrote to the RHA paying tribute to people in the industry who’ve worked tirelessly to ensure food and other essential supplies are available to people across the country. Quite right too.

LGV drivers have made a fundamental contribution to survival during the pandemic. They are more important than ever, and it’s essential that enough are being safely trained as the nation continues to put pressure on delivery.

Whilst it is the driver’s responsibility to ensure they have all the necessary qualifications and training to meet their driver CPC requirements, employers do need to keep a record of their driver’s training and further training requirements to ensure compliance within their fleet.

As key workers, they need the support of efficient services around them. Every employee who wishes to drive professionally needs 35 hours of JAUPT approved CPC training to keep their Driver’s Qualification Card valid and drivers’ legal.

At Insite we offer on-site training, in which one of our highly-skilled trainers will come to your business and train your drivers (working with you to follow all the essential COVID-19 safety procedures). With this option, clients can choose the modules and location which will be most suited to the business.

If you have an on-site training facility – great – but if you don’t, we can arrange and hire a training room local to you or provide the training online.

We offer a tailored driver CPC writing service to meet your business’ needs, on the road or in the classroom. Our trainers are professional, motivating and dedicated. We think we have the best bunch out there (yes, we’re biased).

As online delivery continues to dominate buying behaviour, we need to remember that drivers are an essential part of the infrastructure, and driver training is essential to its success.