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WRF calls on government to fix skills shortage

Western Roads Federation has issued a three-point plan to lure more truck drivers into the industry

Western Australian transport industry members are calling for urgent action to help fix the current skills shortage in the trucking sector.

Western Roads Federation (WRF) CEO Cam Dumesny says members estimate that the state is losing over $2 million a day due to truck driver shortages just across the resources bulk haulage sector.

The WRF says similar shortages are being reported in other parts of WA’s transport industry, with some bulk haulage operators reporting a more than 15 per cent shortage in truck drivers.

“The WRF is offering to constructively collaborate with the federal government on a simple three-point plan to urgently address these issues,” Dumesny says.

The plan issued by WRF includes:

  • Ensuring truck driver shortages are identified on the National Skills Priority Migration Skills Occupation List as a shortage with future strong demand, as current skills shortages are determined by using online job adverts
  • Removing the bureaucratic barriers within the Immigration Department that are holding up skilled migration for months under the Designed Area Migration Agreements
  • Working with industry to develop a truck driver course for international drivers that independently verify competency adhere to WA heavy vehicle regulations and follow on road safe trucking practices in Australia

Dumesny wants the industry to immediately focus on the first point of recognising truck driving as a skilled shortage priority.

“People that fix horseshoes are identified as in short supply but not the people to drive horsepower,” Dumesny says.

“For a combination of reasons, many transport companies in WA have long given up on using online job adverts.

“With one member who requires in excess of 150 drivers now just posting a single generic advert online, the numbers of actual drivers needed isn’t even properly listed.”

Other ways that the federal government can fix the skilled truck driver shortage also include supporting the WA government joint industry and TAFE truck driver training program and fixing taxation barriers.

Dumesny says the training program has now employed over 90 per cent of graduates, but that attracting people to the course has become challenging due to near record low unemployment rates.

He also says a critical element of the WA training model includes the engagement of experienced industry drivers to help mentor students, as the model was originally intended to use recently retired drivers to mentor only for current taxation rules to penalise drivers engaging in this. 

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