Currently, labour and skill shortages are of particular concern in the road freight sector in Victoria, Australia. Both the truck and freight train driver workforces have relatively old age profiles and are predominantly male. The combination of an ageing profile, the forecast growth of the freight task, and the continued tightening of labour markets into the foreseeable future, is expected to cause additional problems for attracting and retaining both truck and freight train drivers beyond those currently being experienced. Increasing recognition is being given to the need for workforce planning to address current and likely future labour and skill shortages within the transport and logistics (T&L) industry. This paper describes the increasing freight task and the structure of the road and rail freight industries in Victoria, with particular reference to their workforce characteristics. The focus of the paper then shifts to briefly identify some of the major workforce issues facing the T&L industry, and to highlight the stronger emphasis now being placed on workforce planning in the road and rail freight industry. (a) For the covering entry of this conference, please see ITRD abstract no. E217541.
Samenvatting