The RHA’s Rod McKenzie has cited a better view of the road and not working in an office as two of the main attractions for a young person thinking about becoming a lorry driver.
McKenzie, the RHA’s Managing Director of Policy & Public Affairs, made the comments during an appearance on GB News on Friday.
The interview’s main focus was on the current driver shortage affecting deliveries of Haribo sweets. However, when asked by presenter Guto Harri whether being a lorry driver was a good profession for a young person, McKenzie appeared to be clutching at straws with his answer:
On the #Haribo shortage caused by trucker shortage – I was asked @Guto_Harri on #GBNews – is it a good job for a young person? @RHANews <sound on> 👇 pic.twitter.com/a5KIMk8p08
— Rod McKenzie (@RHARodMcKenzie) July 2, 2021
As seen in the clip above, McKenzie listed three key reasons why the profession of lorry driver is attractive for young people:
- It’s good if you like driving; you have a better view of the road
- It’s good if you like working on your own and not being in a busy office
- It’s an important job and drivers are heroes
The RHA’s Managing Director of Policy & Public Affairs then reiterated the 3 points above and suggested they were the most important, finishing off by saying “For those 3 reasons, come and join us.”
Judging by the reaction on Twitter, it seems a number of truckers were unconvinced by McKenzie’s answers in the interview. One user described McKenzie’s comments as “patronising rubbish”:
“Major selling points for this job according to you are, great view, being on your own and you’re a hero. Is this patronising rubbish seriously the best the RHA can come up with? Still you can’t mention great pay, great hours great facilities can you now.”
Another user’s tweet went a step further, going as far as to say that the RHA “hasn’t got a clue what the job is really like”:
“If it’s such a good job you do it! I literally have never heard so much drivel from someone who hasn’t got a clue what the job is really like. Get your members to pay proper wages with good benefits, conditions and holidays then it may ease the shortage.”
Meanwhile, the driver shortage continues to make headlines in the UK media amid claims that empty shelves in supermarkets are just weeks away. A few weeks ago, the Chief Executive of the UK’s Federation of Wholesale Distributors suggested that the army should step in to alleviate the shortage. That call has now been repeated by a spokesman for Premier Foods, which owns brands including Mr Kipling, Bisto, Ambrosia and Paxo.
Photo credit @ Trans.INFO