Dire driver shortages: 'If we stop, the country stops', trucking boss warns

Heavy vehicle driver shortages are so dire one trucking company is flying drivers to the South Island each week to cover important routes.

"We're just scraping through as a nation," said trucking boss Chris Carr, who was out driving goods himself because his company, Carr and Haslam, was so understaffed.

His comments follow a letter being sent to Immigration Minister Michael Wood from industry heads warning waste collection and public transport services could be "pared back" if changes aren't made to allow more drivers into the country immediately.

Wood said, in a statement, the lack of staff had been driven by operators lowering the pay and conditions of drivers to compete commercially, and that he would consider the letter before replying.

"Taken together, the sectors we represent are facing a shortfall of over 9000 drivers: at least 8000 drivers for freight vehicles of all sizes and classes; up to 600 bus drivers; and around 400 drivers of waste collection vehicles," said the letter, signed by representatives of the Waste Management Industry Forum, the Bus and Coach Association, and National Road Carriers.

"We cannot overstate the degree of strain this is placing on the businesses we represent. It is resulting in unsustainable increases in cost, uncertainty and stress, and businesses are being stretched to breaking point in order to uphold commitments to clients and customers, and to the New Zealand public. We are receiving reports of burnout on an unprecedented scale."

If the shortages aren't addressed, the country was likely to experience a "significant and sustained decline in economic activity and in living standards", they said.

"Increasingly, it will become impossible for businesses to get goods and services to and
from market in the way that, until recently, they have been able to. Public transport and waste collection services, which are taken for granted in a modern, developed economy like New Zealand, will inevitably be pared back."

While they agreed part of the resolution was to develop skills in the local workforce - which they would develop a pan-sector working group to address - this was "not nearly enough to fill the gap".

"What is required immediately are changes to immigration settings that allow more skilled drivers to enter the country, more quickly.

Industry bosses wrote a letter to Immigration Minister Michael Wood. Photo / Mark Mitchell

"This could entail adding skilled drivers to Immigration New Zealand's Green List roles, for as long as it takes to build up the pool of local drivers to the point required."

Carr said his company was so short of drivers they had been flying staff down to the South Island from Auckland every week for the past three or four months.

"It's pretty grim," he said.

"We're in the industry that makes things happen so we're making it happen, but it comes at quite a considerable human cost."

Staff were working "maximum hours" and struggling to take time off.

The immigration process for skilled drivers needed to be streamlined and made easier, as it was currently "easier to pull your eyelids out".

Carr wanted the Government to work with the sector on trying to solve the problem and to acknowledge the issue.

If change didn't come soon, companies were likely to run out of people and goods would stop being delivered, he said.

"Things just won't be there."

He said there would be a shortage of important goods and items would become more expensive.

"If we stop, the country stops. You can get by without a coffee or a dinner out, you can't get by if you don't have any food or any medical supplies."

Wood told NZME it was clear there were challenges in recruiting skilled drivers.

"This has been driven by an industry approach that forces operators to lower drivers' pay and conditions in order to compete commercially," he said.

"Employers are able to recruit internationally, provided they pay migrant workers at least the median wage."

Having only just received the letter, he wanted to give it "proper consider" before replying.

"Improving the conditions of drivers will make it easier to recruit and retain the workforce.

"That's why our Government is moving ahead with introducing Fair Pay Agreements, along with other reforms specifically for public transport to boost pay and conditions for bus drivers."