Research from the Office of National Statistics has identified middle-aged workers represent the biggest fall in truck drivers.
The number of HGV drivers has declined since the July 2016 to June 2017 period.
However, the largest decline between then and now has been among those aged 46 to 55 years.
The problems associated with – and caused by – the driver shortage are well known.
Therefore, this latest information about middle-aged workers makes interesting reading when analysing where to go next.
In the three months ending September 2021, there were 52,000 vacancies for posts in transport and storage.
This number is the highest since records began in 2001.
In addition, HGV drivers make up around 10% of the transport and storage industry.
Also included in this group are rail and sea transport as well as road transport occupations such as taxi drivers.
The number of HGV drivers aged between 46 to 55 has fallen almost 34,000 (29%) from between July 2016 to June 2017 and July 2020 to June 2021.
Furthermore, the age group 56 to 65 years has fluctuated over the same four years, with a small fall of around 1,000 (2%).
Meanwhile, the number of younger HGV drivers – as well as middle-aged workers – has also fallen.
Specifically, between 2018 and 2019, the number of HGV drivers aged up to 35 years had generally been increasing.
Thereby reaching a peak of more than 68,000 in the year ending December 2019, before decreasing again.
By the year ending June 2021, there were around 52,000 HGV drivers aged up to 35 years.
That figure represents nearly 4,000 (7%) fewer than in the year ending June 2017.
The situation has not been helped by issues around driving tests.
For example, driving tests during the first year covid-19 was the lowest for over a decade.
