Page 17 - Logistics News - December 2021

TR ANSPORT

PHOTO BY LÊ MINH FROM PEXELS

Driver shortage presents

an opportunity

Due to the shortage of truck drivers — along with the other factors brought on by the pandemic —

trucking companies and recruiters are trying a range of tactics to hire and retain qualified drivers,
including increasing pay.

he transportation industry, like most sectors, is salary information from PayScale shows that the average pay is
still reeling from the effects of the pandemic and slightly lower at R98,225 a year, or R8,185 a month.
T a contraction of the economy. However, as the
country gears up to reclaim some semblance of normality, The more qualified a driver is, the more efficient they
drivers are presented with an opportunity to not only fill become, and this also extends to their reliability, leading to
the skills shortage gap present in the transport and logistics increased productivity, which positively impacts their employers’
industry, but to leverage their training and experience bottom line. This gives them a huge negotiation advantage over
to increase their earnings, says Arnoux Maré, Managing their peers without the necessary training.
Director of Innovative Learning Solutions.
Innovative Learning Solutions is Africa’s biggest CODE
“Professionally trained drivers are in high demand as the 14 truck driver training and testing centre, with a focus on
industry aims to regain the losses suffered under the various upskilling drivers to be the best on the road. Candidates
lockdown levels and stifled economy. Drivers who fall into are taught and tested on world-class methods of safety and
this category have specific skillsets, such as driving in wet efficiency while mitigating accidents and increasing productivity.
conditions, economical driving, heavy goods vehicle braking
and straight reverse and ally docking,” explains Maré. “It is not just the drivers who stand to benefit from
having skills that set them apart. Businesses that invest in the
The Department of Labour published its minimum development of systems and staff increase their functionality
wages for South Africans who drive as wholesale and retail and gain valuable data and insights over the industry and
truck drivers in February 2021. CODE 14 drivers who competition.
worked in more populated municipalities could expect to
earn no less than R6,083.53 a month. However, this figure is “As companies seek to trim costs, being leaner and
not reflective of what more experienced drivers can earn in more capable of doing more with less will likely be more
South Africa. commonplace. This includes improving recruitment processes
to ensure that drivers not only have the technical know-how L O GI S T I CS NEWS
Data sourced from salary website Indeed shows that the required of all drivers, but also the necessary soft skills, such as
base salary for a truck driver is closer to R10,324 per month communication, motivation and customer services,” concludes
in South Africa, or roughly R124,000 a year, and comparative Maré. •

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