HGV drivers offered £1,500 to plug shortage in Buckinghamshire

Street cleaning firm Veolia says positions are 'family friendly' with no overnight working
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Truckers are being offered a £1,500 signing-on bonus by the company that cleans the county’s streets.

Veolia is handing the extra cash to people who hold ‘class 2’ and 7.5 tonne qualifications in a bid to plug a national driver shortage.

It wants to attract new talent and keep vital recycling and waste collections moving.

Veolia cleaning crewVeolia cleaning crew
Veolia cleaning crew

Beth Whittaker, Veolia’s chief human resources officer, said: “We hope the incentive will encourage drivers to consider working with us. We can offer part time positions if wanted and a really good lifestyle – no overnights, no long-haul or overseas, so ideal for family time.

“People that I speak to in our business are passionate about what they do because our roles are different. Our teams are doing something that matters to communities and delivering a service that makes a real difference for the environment every day.”

Veolia says it is dedicated to creating a workforce for the future which values diversity and representation.

In addition to the £1,500 sign-on bonus, workers can expect a company pension scheme, generous annual leave, sick leave entitlement and access to a range of retail discounts and wellness benefits including an on-site physiotherapy clinic.

Successful applicants will receive regular training to maintain and enhance their professional ability.

Councillor Peter Strachan, Buckinghamshire Council’s cabinet member for climate change and environment, said: “Buckinghamshire, like everywhere, is suffering the knock on effects of the HGV driver shortages so we have made some local changes to make sure our residents still get their waste collected while work continues to address the staff shortages. “It’s great to see this proactive recruitment taking place and this offers a great employment opportunity for Bucks residents to work in a key local service.”

Businesses across the UK are experiencing a drop in trained HGV drivers due to a combination of factors including Brexit, Covid-19 and a testing backlog.

The Road Haulage Association was predicting a shortage of about 60,000 drivers pre-pandemic, but they now estimate this to be over 100,000 across the UK.

Veolia is reporting an average of 15% vacancy rates for driving roles.

Experienced drivers, newly qualified, or those looking for a change in career can apply at https://recruitment.great-careers.co.uk/veolia