That's because there isn't. This crisis was brought on by reports that a small number - 20 or so - stations, owned by one group, had to shut because of delivery delays due to a driver shortage.
Then everyone panicked.
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HGV Driver shortage
- Thread starter Newchodge
- Start date
That's because there isn't. This crisis was brought on by reports that a small number - 20 or so - stations, owned by one group, had to shut because of delivery delays due to a driver shortage.
Then everyone panicked.
I see your point, but filling stations have just sold record amounts of fuel and will have placed orders to replenish stock.
So seen from the refinery there is a huge surge in demand, so actually we would expect the Brent crude price to increase?
When sales slump (because there in no more room in cars' tanks) the Brent crude price will likely fall too.
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That would imply a conspiracy which I think unlikely.
More likely a chain of events all of which had unintended consequences. And with the media fanning the flames.
The BBC will do anything to make the current govt look incompetent, where in reality it's not much to do with govt. Firms that need drivers will have to take steps to train and retain. If they don't a competitor will. All govt can do is facilitate, an almighty kick to DVLA would be a good start. There are ~50000 HGV licence applications 'awaiting processing'.
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T
The Byre
Then it must have been perfectly coordinated with other industries and on a worldwide basis! This year, oil went from $40 to $80, coal went from $50 to $190, gas went from $2.2 to $5.8. That speaks of an energy shortage.
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T
The Byre
I think we can leave that to this government to do all by themselves!
So which one is it? Either it has nothing to do with the government OR there are 50,000 HGV licenses awaiting processing. You can't have both!
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Actually I can as it's a multifaceted issue.
Govt can and should get those licences processed. But it must be companies that recruit, train, and retain.
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So all the once a month petrol tank fillers topped up last week so why does it seem like 70% of filling stations are empty again ???
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Remember there was also the perfect storm of all the filling stations had refilled at the same time before when we switched e5 to e10 at the beginning of the month which meant they were all in lock step with needing refilling again
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I simply don't believe every forecourt ran down stocks ALL of the old stuff to take delivery of the new in perfect synchronism with every other forecourt. Logistically, it simply couldn't happen.
I believe the changeover was gradual.
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Why would mixing e10 with e5 be a problem? You’d just get e7.5. I don’t believe any petrol stations would run tanks down.
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Mixing e10 and e5 can't be a problem. Most drivers have already done it when they filled up with e10 for the first time.
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T
The Byre
That's my point - the price has doubled this year - there is a worldwide energy shortage. Gas and coal prices have quadrupled. Daft people queuing at petrol stations is a meaningless sideshow.
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Do the oil companies have to pay for the army drivers? If not, why don't they just not employ drivers going forward. The government appears to be willing to deliver the petrol for them.
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There was a story the other day saying someone now had too many drivers and were losing money because they now had to hire in trucks too.
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UK GOV now looking to allow foreign drivers unlimited deliveries under cabotage, for six months. Up to now they have been allowed two journeys in two weeks, now, just as the industry is starting to pay better money, improve conditions etc we get a knee jerk reaction which will allow the UK hauliers to be massively undercut.
The GOV don’t really want the average guy to make a living, they want everyone to be kept in poverty.
The GOV don’t really want the average guy to make a living, they want everyone to be kept in poverty.
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All stations were told to totally empty tanks between the 2.
Whilst it might not actually be a problem technically, i believe it is legally as you cant sign as e5 or e10 and sell e7.5 or even e9.5.
It matters not the reason, as i said i heard it direct form a tanker driver i play rugby with that it was one of the main reasons, there was an almost unprecedented single point in time when all petrol stations had to refill (the e10 intro day) and the crisis happened just after that
I have just managed to find a little reported story about it as well
https://www.energylivenews.com/2021...fuel-the-panic-buying-at-uks-petrol-stations/
Brian Madderson, Chairman of the Petrol Retailers Association (PRA) said the data suggest the fuel crisis was an “unintended consequence” of the E10 rollout: “For weeks we had been emptying our tanks of E5, the old fuel as fast as we could to get ready for E10. We had all run our petrol stocks down.
“So, when the panic buying started, many of our members ran out pretty quickly. Then the shortage of HGV drivers meant we couldn’t get supplies quickly enough.
“I don’t blame the government particularly but the E10 switchover clearly had an unintended consequence: we couldn’t cope with the surge in demand.”
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T
The Byre
1. The DVLA is sitting on some 54,000 HGV driving license applications.
2. There are 20 Conservative MPs outside Englandshire. Just six in Scotlandshire - I imagine it will be a lot fewer soon when the financial storms break and the extent of the total mismanagement of the economy becomes clear for all to see!
3. There is a brilliant letter in this week's Private Eye from an ex-lorry-driver as to why he quit when his employer was sold and the new owners cut his wages by 23% and increased his hours from 39 to 50 a week. The very people who created this mess by not investing in training and cutting wages to the bone are the ones moaning the loudest!
2. There are 20 Conservative MPs outside Englandshire. Just six in Scotlandshire - I imagine it will be a lot fewer soon when the financial storms break and the extent of the total mismanagement of the economy becomes clear for all to see!
3. There is a brilliant letter in this week's Private Eye from an ex-lorry-driver as to why he quit when his employer was sold and the new owners cut his wages by 23% and increased his hours from 39 to 50 a week. The very people who created this mess by not investing in training and cutting wages to the bone are the ones moaning the loudest!
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Remember HGV drivers have to renew regularly so this is not 54k new HGV licences - some will be, but a lot more are about keeping current drivers on the road. I am not sure of the rules over driving whilst you renew licence if it expires whilst in the queue but I know a big issue was around drivers getting the requisite medical certification for renewal whilst Dr's weren't doing appointments
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I have never been asked to vote on it. Sadly lots of various Gov, inc the UK GOV introduce knee jerk reactions which will harm more than help a situation, it’s not the first time and sadly this will not be the last.
Us Brits in particular do not seem very good at long term planning, but much of Europe is suffering from a driver shortage, so we are not alone. The Europeans can recruit from many countries which helps them alleviate such problems, but the real answer is to train and recruit your own workforce, even if it means a short period of problems.
Why the Gov do not extend current HGV licences as they did for car drivers during covid, a much easier solution is beyond myself.
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They all had to start selling e10 on the same day so all ran their stocks of e5 down with a view to replenishing with e10 as soon on or after Oct1 as possible creating a structural shortage at the same time there was an HGV driver shortage. There were several stories around where i am in the week leading up to Oct1 about petrol stations who would not be ready as they were having to flush tanks out. They were told (whether directly by govt or via Petrol retailers association I dont know), that they had to totally empty their tanks and many many environmental companies were scaring petrol retailers that their storage tanks might not be able to cope with E10 so the best solution was to empty of E5 and then do a camera or manned inspection prior to filling with E10 to ascertain corrosion levels in case the e10 triggered rust particles which either blocked filters or worse got into customers vehicles.
They really did all run down their tanks for refilling in a short timescale it is the refilling for as close to Oct1 part which caused the transport issue not whether they emptied them on Sep 25, 26th or 30th
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They didnt do it for motorcycle CBT's either or theory tests, my daughter took her CBT Jul 19 had to do another this Jul which was a pain to book due to all the pizza dudes (who have proliferated) trying too get theirs done when the ban on tests lifted in May.
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Lest we forget, driver shortages in the fuel hauling industry was only a minor problem until the media got hold of the story.
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I cant believe that the internal combustion engine has been going for 140 years and it took our government as long as this week to introduce cabotge in the UK . Why have we never done this before ?
Oh hang on
Hang on
Oh dear !
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