HGV and Van Drivers' Salaries set to increase

In April this year, the National Living Wage will increase from £10.42 to £11.44, a 9.8% increase, the largest increase for more than a decade.

If all wages increase by similar amounts to retain the differentials between pay grades, then UK delivery and haulage firms could be facing a potential increase of around £1.5 billion in drivers’ wages. 

According to Fleetpoint, the average UK HGV driver’s salary is approximately £15.47/hour, this would increase to £16.99/hour if increased by the same percentage as the National Living Wage. With an ongoing lack of drivers to fulfil demand companies will need to do all they can to retain drivers. According to SNAP, who in October 2023 reported that not enough new drivers were entering the industry to replace those retiring or leaving, poor pay is one of the primary causes of the driver shortage. 

With costs set to increase further for delivery and haulage firms, already battling with rising costs, maintenance and spare parts, delivery companies must do all that they can to reduce costs. Optimising delivery routes can not only improve the capacity of the existing fleet and resources but also reduce fuel and maintenance bills. 

Discover more on how Descartes can help fleet operators increase delivery capacity while lowering costs by contacting us now for a free, no-obligation 30-minute consultation.