Nine in 10 UK commercial fleet managers (90%) are prioritising driver retention and recruitment this year amid continued challenges for logistics workforces.

Nearly half (42%) of fleet-based businesses are currently impacted by driver shortages

Nearly half (42%) of fleet-based businesses are currently impacted by driver shortages, according to new research from Samsara, carried out among 150 UK fleet managers and 1,000 commercial drivers.

This is putting increased pressure on commercial drivers, causing concerns over growing pressure to deliver on time (38%), increases in delivery volume (34%) and the need to meet more aggressive route schedules (33%).

As a result, 45% of commercial drivers say they may quit their job due to increased pressure. And only 33% believe their role is valued by members of the public while just one in 10 (11%) say the UK government respects their role.

Samara’s report on ‘2023: The Road Ahead’ shows that fleets are taking action though; 100% of fleet managers believe that making driving a more in-demand profession is of high importance in 2023. And 94% are increasing their technology investment in 2023 to improve the driver experience and support driver safety.

Such a move will likely to be welcomed by commercial drivers, with eight in 10 (78%) agreeing that technology would positively impact their job, including dashcams (78%), GPS routing (77%), safety systems and alerts (75%), incident detection (75%), and mobile-based workflow tools (68%).

Philip van der Wilt, SVP and general manager EMEA, Samsara, said the figures showed how much things had changed since the pandemic, when drivers kept the UK moving and were hailed as heroes.

“There needs to be a cultural change in the way professional drivers are perceived,” he added. “Technology is not the only solution, but it can be an enabler of overcoming these complex problems, improving the driver experience, ensuring driver health and safety, and creating a modern way of working that meets the expectations of today’s workforce.”

To access the Samsara report, please click here.