Driver shortage hits essential goods supply

Jeeva / TNN / May 30, 2008, 02:43 IST

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Shortage of drivers for goods transport vehicles in the state is affecting the distribution of essential commodities like milk, vegetables, LPG, petroleum products and construction materials.

Driver shortage hits essential goods supply

CHENNAI: Shortage of drivers for goods transport vehicles in the state is affecting the distribution of essential commodities like milk, vegetables, LPG, petroleum products and construction materials.
According to the vehicle owners' associations, an average of 20��30% vehicles are lying idle for want of drivers.
Many owners said the shortage of drivers for goods transport has been on the rise recently partly because drivers opt to work for IT companies, BPOs and call centres as it provides them social status, besides a decent earning.
Lorry owners operating vehicles for the supply of Aavin milk and LPG cylinders in the state said due to the shortage of drivers they have asked one person to work for three days consecutively in both day and night shifts.

"If we have enough drivers, they can work on alternate days,'' said Raghuraman, a lorry driver supplying milk.
Chennai Metropolitan Transport Agents' Association said shortage of drivers has its impact on the safety for vehicles and materials in case of any breakdown and also for the timely supply of commodities.
Chennai Petrol Tanker Lorry Owners' Association which has about 1,000 vehicles with his association members is facing a driver shortage for 30% of its vehicles. "While oil companies insist on operating vehicles regularly, we find it difficult to manage it with the available drivers. In areas like Korukkupet, one can see around 30 tanker lorries standing idle daily�� said K Velu, general secretary of the association. Velu also said many owners were not buying additional vehicles due to shortage of drivers.

Tamil Nadu Van Owners Association which has 5,400 vehicles operating in the city is also facing a 30% shortage of drivers. The association has already started a driving school on its own in Vadapalani a year ago.
The Chennai Goods Transport Association (CGTA) has already engaged a consultant to conduct campus recruitment in ITIs to select candidates. It has also been discussing with vehicle manufacturers about providing training in driving to such candidates so that they can be absorbed by the CGTA members themselves.
"We have 6,000 to 7,000 trucks in the city which face a driver shortage of more than 25%. Earlier we had two drivers for each vehicle when it was used for long distance goods transport. Now we manage only by engaging drivers on rotation basis and several times we are forced to send only one driver," said K M Narasimhan, former president of CGTA. He said 1,500 to 2,000 drivers were needed for trucks in the city.
R Sukumaran, president of Chennai-Kancheepuram-Tiruvallur Districts Lorry, Tankers, Trailers and Van Association Welfare Committee urged the government to relax the educational qualification required for obtaining licence for transport vehicles from eighth standard to sixth standard. The government should set up a welfare board for drivers of transport vehicles like it has done for autorickshaw drivers, Sukumaran said.
"There are about 10,000 cleaners and helpers for trucks in the State who know driving but could not obtain a licence as they do not possess the mandatory qualification," he added.
However, transport authorities are of the view that it is for the vehicle owners to tackle the problem. "If they offer more salary, they will get adequate drivers. It is not easy for the government to start driving schools for heavy vehicles in each district. On our part, we have already announced that we can permit them to run driving schools if they adhere to the prescribed norms," said a senior transport department official.
jeeva.pugazvendan@timesgroup.com

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