Warehouse workers at Clipper Logistics can now enrol on the firm’s Revolve ‘warehouse to wheels’ training scheme to get their class 2 driving license.

The new scheme was piloted at the Swadlincote warehouse, but is now being rolled out to all Clipper Logistics employees in the UK in 2018.

It is estimated that there is a driver shortage of between 45,000-50,000 nationally, and this is impacting the way that haulage businesses are trading – many, refusing orders they cannot meet.

Speaking in December, Road Haulage Association chief executive Richard Burnett said: “We as an industry need to face this challenge head-on. And with a shortage of drivers across Europe, it’s vital that the sector does more to bring people into the industry.”

Transport operations director Mick Doe said: “Revolve has seen fantastic demand, and we’re proud to be launching a training programme that can have such positive effects.

“We’re always looking at the next step, and we’re already in the process of looking at offering Class 1 driver training as an option in the future. Alongside our driver simulators, which were launched last year, Clipper Logistics has proven itself to be at the forefront of professional HGV operation.”

There is no government grant or student loan available to people who might wish to become HGV drivers and many active drivers in the UK are nearing retirement age. This already painful shortage of drivers nationally could well be such a problem that haulage businesses go out of business not for lack of orders so much as the inability to fulfil them.