Great Southern truckies feel licence pinch as driver shortage looms large

The saying goes that “without trucks, Australia stops” but in WA, the trucking industry is hitting roadblock after roadblock. A looming shortage of truck drivers ahead of a busy time of year, combined with a rise in registration fees of 2.5 per cent in July, is causing tensions in the local industry. Southern Haulage owner Chris Pavlovich said he believed the heavy vehicle registration fees should have been frozen, as in other States. He estimated the increase would cost his business an additional $20,000 a year, or about $320 a truck. “That (money) would arguably be passed on back to the primary producers or end consumers’ increased costs of goods, which is going to be tough in this present economic climate,” he said. “The industry is struggling to bear the cost increase of that extra 2.5 per cent. “There has been a downturn in woodchips, there has been a downturn in potential export opportunities for wine, barley and meat and wool and other commodities. “To take some of the volume away and increase charges will only mean a squeeze for the bottom line of many small and medium enterprises.” The fee hike comes on top of a looming staff shortage. Mr Pavlovich said he was unsure where he would find the extra skilled drivers to meet harvest demand. He would typically employ an extra four to eight full-time staff during the busy season, on top of the 60-70 he already employs. “It is a little bit quieter now while we are in this winter period, but as the seasonal demand ramps up, there are a lot of itinerant workers that move around, not only for farms picking fruit but also driving headers, trucks and other machinery,” he said. “There is no doubt going to be a major shortage of labour coming up into this next harvest period.” In July, WA Livestock and Rural Transport Association president David Fyfe called on the Government to “rethink” its decision to increase the registration fees. At the time, a State Government spokeswoman said it used motor vehicle licence fee revenue to fund upgrades to road safety in WA.