The state of the haulage industry has always been a good indicator for the state of the economy and right now, the industry is in trouble. With truck and transport firms facing perhaps the tiniest profit margins know to any industry and costs such as haulage insurance and ever increasing petrol prices to worry about, it’s understandable to see why firms are worried.
The Financial Times has reported earlier this month that between the tail end of last year and the start of this year, the number of truck drivers claiming job seekers allowance has trebled — 65% of firms have made redundancies.
The industry is fighting for its life and any positive progress has been stunted as construction declines and manufacturing volumes stay level. The only positive news is that retail, wholesale and other sectors are beginning to require more haulier services.
With petrol prices increasing yet again, there’s a sense that some members of the haulage industry have had enough and are giving up.
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