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Soluționarea problemei deficitului de șoferi de vehicule grele de marfă în Regatul Unit în 2024/2025

Creat: 16.08.2024

Actualizat: 10.10.2024

Deficitul de șoferi de vehicule grele de marfă din Regatul Unit a reprezentat o provocare complexă și cu multiple fațete, cu implicații de anvergură pentru economia și lanțurile de aprovizionare ale țării. Cu toate acestea, eforturile concertate ale guvernului, ale industriei și ale părților interesate au început să dea rezultate pozitive, sugerând că valul se poate întoarce.

Pe măsură ce Regatul Unit se îndreaptă spre 2024 și 2025, angajamentul continuu de a aborda deficitul de șoferi, împreună cu concentrarea pe atragerea și păstrarea persoanelor talentate, vor fi esențiale pentru asigurarea rezilienței și prosperității pe termen lung a sectorului transporturilor.

Profunzimea crizei

Deficitul de șoferi de vehicule grele în Regatul Unit a reprezentat o preocupare tot mai mare, situația atingând un punct critic în 2021. Potrivit rapoartelor din industrie, țara s-a confruntat cu un deficit de aproximativ 100.000 de șoferi de camioane la apogeul crizei. Această cifră a reprezentat o creștere semnificativă față de deficitul de 59 000 de șoferi raportat în 2019, subliniind deteriorarea rapidă a situației.

Factorii care au contribuit la această penurie au fost multipli, inclusiv impactul pandemiei COVID-19, consecințele Brexitului și modificările normelor fiscale IR35 care au afectat șoferii de vehicule grele angajați de agenții pe bază de contract. Aceste perturbări au determinat mulți șoferi cu experiență să părăsească industria, în timp ce pe piață nu intrau suficiente talente noi pentru a umple golul.

Intervenția guvernului și eforturile industriei

Recunoscând gravitatea situației, guvernul britanic și părțile interesate din industrie au luat măsuri decisive pentru a soluționa deficitul de șoferi de vehicule grele. Departamentul pentru Transporturi a raportat o îmbunătățire notabilă, procentul de posturi vacante de șoferi de vehicule grele de marfă raportate de întreprinderile de transport scăzând de la 43% în T4 2021 la 23% în T3 2023.

Una dintre măsurile-cheie implementate a fost creșterea finanțării pentru atragerea și formarea de noi șoferi de vehicule grele. De asemenea, guvernul a accelerat procesul de obținere a permiselor de conducere pentru vehiculele grele de marfă și a investit 8 milioane de lire sterline pentru a îmbunătăți calitatea zonelor de odihnă pentru vehiculele grele de marfă, abordând problema de lungă durată a condițiilor de muncă precare pentru șoferi.

SNAP a ajutat mai multe parcuri de camioane din Marea Britanie să creeze cereri de finanțare guvernamentală pentru a-și îmbunătăți facilitățile. Aflați mai multe despre truck parks incluse în rețeaua SNAP.

Abordarea problemei îmbătrânirii forței de muncă și atragerea tinerelor talente

Una dintre provocările persistente din industria șoferilor de vehicule grele este îmbătrânirea forței de muncă, vârsta medie a șoferilor fiind de 48 de ani. Industria se luptă să atragă tineri talentați, deoarece percepția unor condiții de muncă precare, a unor salarii medii și a unei cariere neinspirate i-a descurajat pe mulți să ia în considerare o carieră în conducerea camioanelor.

Pentru a soluționa această problemă, guvernul a lansat recent o consultare în vederea reducerii vârstei minime necesare pentru șoferii de autobuz și autocar, ceea ce ar putea oferi mai multe oportunități persoanelor tinere de a intra în sectorul transporturilor. Această măsură, combinată cu eforturile de îmbunătățire a facilităților pentru șoferi și a condițiilor de muncă, ar putea contribui la creșterea atractivității industriei pentru următoarea generație de lucrători.

Consultați harta parcărilor de camioane, stațiilor de spălare a camioanelor și spațiilor de cazare din diferite regiuni acoperite de rețeaua SNAP.

Depășirea obstacolelor de reglementare și adoptarea flexibilității

Un alt factor care a contribuit la deficitul de șoferi de camioane grele a fost reprezentat de obstacolele de reglementare și birocrația cu care se confruntă noii șoferi la intrarea în industrie. Procesul de obținere a licențelor și certificărilor necesare poate fi lung și costisitor, descurajând potențialii candidați.

Pentru a rezolva această problemă, părțile interesate din industrie au pledat pentru proceduri de formare și testare mai flexibile, similare cu abordarea adoptată de companiile de autobuze. Prin simplificarea procesului și accesibilizarea acestuia, se dorește creșterea numărului de șoferi calificați care intră pe piață.

Impactul Brexitului și al COVID-19

Penuria de șoferi de camioane în Regatul Unit a fost complicată și mai mult de consecințele Brexitului și de perturbările cauzate de pandemia COVID-19. Pierderea șoferilor din UE, care anterior reprezentau o parte semnificativă a forței de muncă din Marea Britanie în domeniul conducerii de camioane, a fost o lovitură semnificativă.

În plus, impactul pandemiei asupra formării și testării a dus la un număr mare de șoferi noi care intră pe piață. Pe măsură ce economia și-a revenit, cererea crescută de bunuri și servicii a exercitat o presiune și mai mare asupra sectorului transporturilor, care era deja sub presiune.

Colaborare și inovare

Abordarea deficitului de șoferi de vehicule grele va necesita un efort de colaborare între guvern, părțile interesate din industrie și instituțiile de învățământ. Lucrând împreună, aceștia pot dezvolta soluții cuprinzătoare care să abordeze cauzele profunde ale problemei și să creeze un sistem de transport mai durabil și mai rezilient.

Adoptarea unor abordări inovatoare, cum ar fi utilizarea tehnologiei pentru optimizarea logisticii și îmbunătățirea eficienței șoferilor, poate juca, de asemenea, un rol crucial în atenuarea impactului deficitului de șoferi. Investițiile în infrastructură, programele de formare și inițiativele axate pe șoferi pot contribui la crearea unei forțe de muncă mai puternice, mai diverse și mai reziliente.

Drumul de urmat

Pe măsură ce Regatul Unit navighează prin peisajul în continuă evoluție al deficitului de șoferi de vehicule grele, este clar că soluția va necesita o abordare cu mai multe fațete. Sprijinul guvernamental continuu, colaborarea cu industria și angajamentul de a atrage și păstra șoferii talentați vor fi esențiale pentru asigurarea rezilienței rețelei naționale de transport.

Deși este posibil ca această criză să nu fie pe deplin rezolvată în viitorul imediat, măsurile luate până acum oferă o rază de speranță. Prin menținerea accentului pe inovare, flexibilitate și incluziune, Regatul Unit poate lucra la un viitor în care sectorul transporturilor să fie echipat pentru a răspunde cerințelor în creștere ale economiei și nevoilor cetățenilor săi.

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miercuri 02 iulie 2025 • Știri și actualizări

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miercuri 18 iunie 2025 • Știri și actualizări

GRANIȚA POLONO-UCRAINEANĂ SE REDESCHIDE: CE TREBUIE SĂ ȘTIE OPERATORII DE FLOTE

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miercuri 04 iunie 2025 • Știri și actualizări

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On 28 April 2025, a widespread power outage swept across the Iberian Peninsula, leaving millions of homes, businesses and public services in Spain and Portugal without electricity. The Spain-Portugal blackout, which began at 12:33pm local time, affected major cities including Madrid, Barcelona, Lisbon and Porto, as well as large parts of the surrounding regions. In some areas, power returned within four to six hours; in others, the disruption lasted well into the following morning.Although the precise cause is still under investigation, early reports suggest a failure in the cross-border transmission network disrupted electricity flow across both national grids. The impact was swift and widespread, halting train services, grounding aircraft, affecting hospitals and public services and paralysing digital infrastructure. 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With no access to recharging, some deliveries were suspended and electric vehicles temporarily taken off the road.For logistics businesses considering the transition to electric fleets, the Iberian power cuts underlined the importance of contingency planning and backup infrastructure to maintain operations during grid failures.Perhaps the most pressing concerns centred around driver welfare. Rest areas and service stations were plunged into darkness – many without lighting, heating, hot food or functioning toilets. Some drivers were left without a safe or secure place to rest during enforced delays.Communication was another major issue. With mobile networks disrupted, drivers struggled to contact depots, request support or access traffic updates. For many, local radio became the only reliable source of information. The situation served as a stark reminder of how exposed the industry can be when critical infrastructure fails.Although the Spain-Portugal blackout lasted less than 24 hours in most places, the disruption to road transport and haulage was significant. The power outage effects on logistics covered everything from fuel supply and infrastructure resilience to emergency preparedness and driver wellbeing. However, it also prompted renewed discussion around how fleet operators can improve business continuity and safeguard their people in the face of similar events.Establishing and testing a robust business continuity plan is an important first step. This should cover communications protocols, fuel access, routing alternatives and vehicle deployment. Where possible, alternative schedules and delivery partners should be identified in advance – particularly for time-sensitive or critical loads.Supporting driver wellbeing is crucial in situations like this. Emergency kits – containing snacks, water, torches, power banks and reflective clothing – can offer reassurance and practical help. “Operators may also wish to review facilities at depots to ensure drivers have safe places to rest, especially during longer delays,” says Raquel. “Knowing that there is a network of truck stops in the region, such as our partner network, can provide reassurance that there is somewhere to stop until the power returns. “Blackouts of this scale may be rare, but the risk is real. Operators must consider how they build resilience and adapt to situations to keep moving – from securing fuel access to re-evaluating route planning and rest provision during emergencies.”We have an extensive network of truck stops and service areas across Spain and Europe.