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Driver training 'essential for survival'
Page 13
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A SlIEFFIELD-BASED haula:!(.. firm says operators have to invest in training if they want to survive in business. For the past 18 months, Shepherd Distribution has been funding in-house and external driver training to raise the skill level of its employees Raining director Ian Wood says: "We want to improve drivers who have only gone through the standard driving test.
"Drivers are trained for safer and more fuel-efficient driving, which has a positive effect on our insurance rating. We will continue with this training as we feel it is needed for business survival."
One of the external driver training courses is a five-day defensive driving scheme which aims to reduce the number of accidents involving company vehicles.
A recent study into the skills shortage, conducted by Lloyds TSB, shows that a third of businesses feel there is lack of good quality staff and almost half have experienced difficulty recruiting skilled staff this year.