Transport industry grappling with shortage of skilled drivers

New Delhi, Nov 5 (UNI) As in the skies, so on the roads. If India's aviation industry is beset with a shortage of top rate pilots, transport companies all over the country are also grappling with a severe paucity of skilled drivers for their heavy commercial vehicles (HCVs).

A study, conducted by Indian Foundation of Transport Research and Training (IFTRT) on HCV drivers, has come out with a startling revelation that despite buoyancy in economic activities, the fleet strength of 18 out of 20 prominent transport companies in the country has come down to 50 per cent.

One transport company maintained almost the same fleet size and only one company added around 10 per cent to the fleet strength in the last five years.

The study, conducted in 13 states and the NCT of Delhi, reported that the annual growth of heavy and light commercial vehicles was about 15-20 per cent, constituting 65 per cent of the nation's cargo handling.

''But the growing shortage of drivers for HCVs may trigger a major slump in the transport industry,'' said the report.

The result has already been showing. As against 500-700 km in several developing and developed countries, a truck covers only 250-350 km a day in India, resulting in lower fleet productivity.

With India in the midst of developing world class highways under the NHDP, coupled with the new age multi-axle trucks entering the Indian roads, the shortage of skilled drivers may turn out to be a major roadblock to the massive investment in highwys construction and modernisation.

''The goal to achieve 500 km daily coverage by goods carriage may remain a mere pipedream for our planners and transport industry if they are unable to tide over this crisis,'' said the report.

At present, 75 per cent of 10.5 lakh HCVs is being plied by a single driver though the National Permit licence stipulates all such vehicles must be having two drivers each. Thus, at present, there is a shortage of 7-8 lakh skilled drivers.

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