Deskbound hgv licence
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Referring to the letters on the subject of the "Deskbound hgv licence" (CM July 23 and August 13), I would say that Licensing Authorities are quite within their rights in keeping to the letter of the law which clearly states that a driver must have at least six months' experience in the period February 1969 to February 1970 on the particular type of vehicle he is applying for an hgv licence to drive, although I must admit there appears to be an anomaly in the law whereby casual drivers are allowed an hgv licence and who are allegedly driving the minimum of 20 hours a week.
I feel this is a point which will eventually be pursued when they get around to checking on all these applications—to many operators' cost.
If we are to improve the driving standards of commercial drivers land this does not apply to the majority of hgv drivers) then the rigid standards will have to be maintained.
The shortage of drivers at this present moment is caused by 1, the cost of training new staff: 2, the realization by managements that there is a shortage and failing to prepare by training, drivers required to pass the hgv DoE test.
Both the FTA and the RHA have been urging operators to realize these facts for some considerable time. This advice has constantly been ignored and within a very short space of time when the facts become reality and it is too late, training facilities which I and my competitors offer will have reached saturation point and therefore we will be unable to cope with the ever-increasing demand.
E. G. RANSOM, Hgv Driver Training Consultant, Hayling Island, Hants.