The International Road Transport Organisation, IRU, has recently put together a plan to deal with driver shortages across Europe. However, conversations with transport operators suggest that these plans do not include sufficient methods to recruit new talent.
European road freight provider Europa Road thinks that the answer to this problem “lies in upskilling your team members and investing in your fleet, making long journeys more comfortable for drivers.” For this reason, the company has invested £7m in its domestic fleet, upgrading its whole fleet in just 14 months.
Malcolm Castle, General Manager for Domestic Transport at the road division of Europa Worldwide Group, sheds some important light on the investment:
“According to a 2021 study, 55,000 HGV drivers left the industry. With tiring journeys and lengthy periods of time away from families, life on the road can be tough. Therefore, it’s important to be investing in our fleet, showing our drivers that they are valued and that we will go the extra mile to ensure they can do their job safely and comfortably.
“We have now replaced our entire fleet with top-spec Renault Trucks, which have power inverters, extra storage for personal items and innovative telematics software. As well as offering comfort, the technology offers our drivers guides for suitable conditions, real-time driver scoring metrics and a four-camera platform for better incident management.
“The Renault T models, and all other trucks in Europa Road’s fleet, also meet the stringent Euro 6 emissions standards to ensure their environmental impacts are kept to a minimum. We are committed to providing our drivers with the best vehicles on the market, and with these upgrades, we can continue to optimise driving conditions for everyone.”
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