FTA industry summit on driver crisis
Hundreds already signed up to attend one-day Freight Transport Association industry summit
WITH road transport operators facing a chronic shortage of qualified professional drivers, the Freight Transport Association (FTA) has announced a one-day industry summit to help tackle the problem.
‘Solving the Driver Crisis’ will be held on Thursday 12 March at the Ricoh Arena, Coventry, and will have places for up to 500 delegates.
The event will bring together government officials, professional HR advisors, and experienced operators to work towards solutions to the current crisis.
According to the FTA, more than 200 delegates have already registered for the event, which will cover the following topics: How big is the problem?; What were operators’ experiences in the run-up to Christmas?; Improving the perceptions of professional driving; Reaching out to the labour market and the next generation of drivers; Sources of government funding and how to apply; and Improving facilities for drivers on the road.
James Hookham, the FTA’s managing director of membership & policy, said: ‘The driver shortage wasn’t just for Christmas…it will be with us for far longer than that. We are facing a long-term challenge to attract and recruit sufficient people to professional driving.
‘We need to up our game in recruitment practices and start addressing some deep-seated problems in the industry. We also need to ensure government and other agencies are on our side, and that we make best use of the support and funding that is already available.
‘Solving the Driver Crisis will be a unique event to bring together the best knowledge and experience in the industry, and to present to delegates the most up-to-date picture and collective advice and knowledge available.’
Delegates attending the free-to-attend event will receive practical advice on dealing with driver shortage issues; discover how to ‘tap into’ government funding; learn from other attendees’ experiences; and hear how they overcame the problem of driver shortage.
