Key points:
- 25% of surveyed HGV businesses raised driver wages in April–June 2026, up from 11% in the previous quarter.
- 28% of businesses reported driver vacancies, up from 25% in January–March.
- GB-registered HGVs lifted 1.55 billion tonnes in the year to June 2026, down 2%.
- Empty running accounted for 29% of all distance travelled.
- Goods lifted in the UK by Northern Ireland-registered HGVs fell by 11%.
Pay rises double
According to the DfT statistics published on 4 November, 25% of surveyed HGV businesses increased driver pay in the three months to June 2026. In the previous quarter, only 11% did so.
At the same time, 28% of businesses, 629 out of 2,218 surveyed, reported vacancies for HGV drivers. This is up from 25% in January–March and 2 percentage points higher than a year earlier.
The most common reasons given for vacancies were:
- drivers leaving the industry,
- better pay or benefits elsewhere,
- retirement.
Fewer tonnes, longer hauls
In the 12 months to June 2026, GB-registered HGVs lifted 1.55 billion tonnes of goods, 2% less than a year earlier. Tonne-kilometres stayed almost flat at 164.6 billion, compared with 165.0 billion.
The total distance travelled by lorries fell by 4% to 18.5 billion km, while the average length of haul rose by 2%, from 104.5 km to 106.3 km. In other words, lorries carried slightly less, but over longer distances.
In the latest quarter, April to June 2026, hauliers lifted 398 million tonnes. This was 3% more than in January–March, but 2% less than in the same quarter of 2025.
Almost a third of kilometres empty
Empty running reached 5.3 billion km, or 29% of all distance travelled in the year to June. Over the latest three quarters, the empty running rate averaged 27%, compared with 30% over the previous four years.
For operators, every empty kilometre is a cost that is not covered by any freight rate. With diesel close to £2 a litre in recent months, reducing empty running has become even more important.
Northern Ireland down 11%
Lorries registered in Northern Ireland lifted 59.5 million tonnes within the UK in the 12 months to June 2026. That is 11% less than in the previous period.
What it means for hauliers
The figures suggest that the driver shortage has not gone away. With more companies raising wages and more reporting vacancies, competition for drivers is growing again, which adds to cost pressure at a time when volumes are falling.
The DfT notes that the figures come from an online survey used since 2021 and cannot be compared with older data. Trans.INFO recently reported on how many UK transport firms entered administration this year.
