Susie Jones
Noticias • 2 min leer

Los conductores de camiones cuestionan el término "escasez de conductores"

Creado: 15/08/2024

Actualizado: 16/08/2024

El 11 de abril de 2024, el DfT abrió una consulta sobre medidas para paliar la escasez de conductores. Buscan propuestas para permitir que una persona realice sus exámenes teóricos y de maniobras fuera de carretera antes de que se le conceda un permiso provisional de conductor de vehículos pesados.

Desde el Covid-19 y el Brexit, el sector ha sufrido un descenso en el número de conductores de camiones. La pandemia retrasó las pruebas 30.000 para los nuevos conductores, y el Brexit afectó duramente a las empresas de flotas, ya que muchos camioneros europeos abandonaron el Reino Unido.

Un informe de SNAP para 2023 sugiere que el sector podría alcanzar un "punto de inflexión" en los próximos 10-15 años. Con la rápida evolución del sector, los pedidos en línea son una de las demandas de más rápido crecimiento, lo que, combinado con el envejecimiento de la mano de obra, hará que las necesidades del sector superen la escasez de conductores cualificados.

¿Qué opinan los camioneros?

En redes sociales, SNAP pidió a los conductores que expresaran su opinión sobre la propuesta del Ministerio de Transporte. Sin embargo, el 72,5% cuestionó el término "escasez de conductores", tachándolo de alarmismo.

En cambio, afirmaron que los siguientes factores estaban provocando que los conductores con experiencia abandonaran el sector y, en conjunto, disuadiendo a los nuevos aspirantes:

Salarios

Del 72,5%, el 28% sugirió que los bajos salarios eran un factor disuasorio. Los conductores de las páginas de SNAP en las redes sociales sugirieron que podrían ganar más en otras profesiones:

Tengo el carné de camión, pero no quiero utilizarlo. Actualmente gano más por hora como profesor de autoescuela. No hay escasez de conductores ".

"Paga más a los conductores y dales mejores instalaciones ".

En el Reino Unido existen conceptos erróneos sobre los salarios de los conductores de camiones, con la opinión de que ganan más que el trabajador medio. Según National Careers, el salario medio de un conductor de camión en el Reino Unido oscila entre 22.000 y 40.000 libras, siendo los conductores experimentados los que más ganan.

Instalaciones

Las instalaciones también fueron objeto de escrutinio por parte de muchos: el 20% culpó a los bajos niveles de calidad de alejar a los conductores cualificados. El nivel de las instalaciones de las paradas de camiones en el Reino Unido ha sido objeto de gran escrutinio por parte de los profesionales del sector, ya que muchos afirman que no valen lo que cuestan.

El DfT ha tomado medidas significativas con su plan de subvenciones de 6 millones de libras para el aparcamiento de vehículos pesados y el bienestar de los conductores (https://www.smmt.co.uk/2024/05/first-class-facilities-truckstops-to-be-upgraded-with-16-5m-funding/#:~:text=Under%20the%20plans%2C%2038%20truckstops,significantly%20upgrade%20facilities%20for%20drivers.) - respaldado por otros 10,5 millones de libras del sector. El plan invertirá en 38 paradas de camiones de toda Inglaterra para mejorar las instalaciones destinadas a los conductores, incluyendo nuevas duchas y restaurantes, así como una mayor seguridad.

Además de la mejora de las instalaciones, se espera que el plan cree unas 430 nuevas plazas de estacionamiento para camiones, lo que reducirá el número de aparcamientos en espera y hará que las plazas se llenen a primera hora de la tarde.

Falta de trabajo

Igualmente, el 20% de los conductores explicaron que tenían carné pero no encontraban trabajo. Según la Office for National Statistics (ONS), en el Reino Unido hay más de 183.000 puestos de trabajo relacionados con la conducción de vehículos pesados. A pesar de ello, cada región tiene diferentes oportunidades de empleo, lo que se traduce en una demanda desigual en todo el Reino Unido. Múltiples conductores compartieron sus experiencias de lucha por encontrar trabajo:

"Tengo una clase uno desde hace siete meses y no consigo trabajo. Me encantaría saber dónde está la escasez ".

*"¿Qué escasez? No hay mucho trabajo disponible".

Certificado de Aptitud Profesional del Conductor

El 10% de los que no estaban ni de acuerdo ni en desacuerdo con el término "escasez de conductores" afirmaron que el Certificado de Aptitud Profesional del Conductor (CAP) había desempeñado un papel fundamental en la reducción del número de conductores de vehículos pesados.

Introducido en 2009, el CAP tiene como objetivo mejorar la seguridad vial, la profesionalidad y la concienciación medioambiental, además de garantizar que los conductores estén al día de todos los requisitos legales, sanitarios y de seguridad. Los resultados de una consulta sobre una revisión de la política del CAP revelaron que el 47% de los conductores de vehículos pesados afirmaron que era ineficaz o muy ineficaz. En las redes sociales de SNAP, un conductor comentó:

"Deshazte del CPC, y cogeré turnos. No voy a pagar por hacer 35 horas, aprendiendo a hacer lo que antes he pasado años haciendo todos los días ".

El Gobierno ha esbozado una serie de cambios en el CAP para aumentar la flexibilidad a la hora de renovar y recuperar la cualificación. Entre los cambios en la duración de los cursos, el Gobierno desarrollará más contenidos básicos junto con la Agencia de Normas para Conductores y Vehículos.

Factores externos, como el Brexit y el COVID-19, combinados con cuestiones relacionadas con la industria, han afectado significativamente a las tasas de empleo en el sector del transporte. En un entorno en constante evolución, el sector debe seguir introduciendo cambios cuando sea necesario para atraer y retener a más conductores.

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