We were delighted to have been visited by the Road Haulage Association (RHA) as part of the eighth National Lorry Week. The visit was centred around our innovative driver training scheme, Future-bound.
National Lorry Week, which takes place from the 24th to the 30th of October, is the RHA’s annual campaign to champion the logistics industry and shine a light on the businesses and individuals who work tirelessly to keep our nation moving. Despite the fact that 85% of all goods bought in the UK are transported by lorry – the efficiency and success of the logistics industry are often overlooked.
In a bid to combat this, throughout October, the RHA has been travelling across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland in order to celebrate the very best of the UK’s road transport industry, and today, it was our turn!
Alongside Antony Higginbotham, the local MP for Burnley, the RHA visited our Padiham Depot today to learn more about our successful Future-bound scheme – which was launched in response to the national HGV-driver shortage in 2021. The visit was a great success, and a fantastic opportunity for our company to spotlight the amazing opportunities there are for young people within the transport sector.
Launched in order to make driving careers more accessible, our Future-bound scheme invites applicants with a full UK driving licence to work towards their professional HGV qualifications, beginning with one of two F&W 3.5-tonne vehicles and receiving training to progress onto 12-tonne, 18-tonne, and eventually 44-tonne vehicles.
Unlike other driver-training schemes, Future-bound places a real emphasis on ensuring students are equipped for a lifetime of success on the road as a driver, preparing them not only to pass their test but for the ins and outs of their future day-to-day roles. Over the last year, the scheme has seen an incredible 90% pass rate.
Commenting, F&W Business Strategy Director, Sam Fagan, said:
“We are honoured to have been visited by the RHA as part of this year’s National Lorry Week. The day was a tremendous success and was a great opportunity for us to shout about the outstanding success of our Future-bound scheme. At a time when getting into the HGV industry has proven to be more challenging than ever, we are proud to be doing our bit to help tackle the national driver shortage, as we help to make driving careers more accessible.”
Meanwhile, RHA Managing Director, Richard Smith, said:
“The UK’s logistics industry is the lifeblood of the nation’s economy. Just look around you. Everything you see has at some point been handled by logistics professionals – from producer to warehouse operative, to distributor, to delivery driver and, in most cases, to store shelf.
“People in our industry have shown great resilience over the last couple of years in the face of huge challenges; from Brexit and the pandemic to driver shortages, and most notably, this year’s fuel crisis, and with Christmas just around the corner, it’s likely we’ll face even greater challenges. National Lorry Week is our opportunity to celebrate them and the great work they do.”
This year’s National Lorry Week campaign is supported by a number of industry organisations and sponsors, including Backhouse Jones, Michelin, D4Drivers, DAF, Digihaul, Driver Hire Nationwide, Fuelcard Company, Michelin, Michelin Connected Fleet, RHA Insurance Services, SNAP, Transaid and Tructyre and can be followed on social media using the hashtag #NationalLorryWeek.
For more information regarding our Future-bound driver training scheme, as well as our BRCGS certified Warehouse and Distribution facilities, please get in touch with our brilliant team here or by calling 01282 771983.
