Recent figures from the Road Haulage Association (RHA) show that the UK needs to train 60,000 new HGV drivers each year over the next five years to meet increasing demand and replace those leaving the sector.
Currently the average age of truck drivers is about 50; more than a third are aged 55 or older, while fewer than 5% are under 25, highlighting the importance of cultivating new, younger talent.
According to the RHA, the industry’s challenge is no longer about filling a temporary gap but about rebuilding a sustainable driver pipeline.
In an effort to tackle the issue and deliver a pipeline of highly trained, high-quality drivers, Cambridgeshire-based Knowles Logistics has launched a new Driver Academy that also gives apprentices a broader understanding of the logistics industry.
Open to anyone aged 18 or over with a Category B driving licence, the eight-month apprenticeship programme combines practical driver training with structured online learning.
The academy is being delivered in partnership with training provider TRS, with participants working towards a nationally recognised Level 2 qualification.
Those on the course also spend time in warehousing, transport planning, routing, traffic office operations and customer service, giving them a wider understanding of how logistics operations function.
Alongside classroom and online learning, apprentices complete a five-day Urban Driver training course and 10 days of intensive Class One and Class Two driver training.
Initial groups consist of four to five apprentices at a time, allowing for greater mentoring and individual support throughout the programme.
Alex Knowles, Chief Executive of Knowles Logistics, said: “The Driver Academy is about developing logistics professionals who understand the whole operation.
“By giving apprentices experience across warehousing, transport operations, planning and routing, they’ll appreciate how every part of the business fits together and why every role is critical to delivering outstanding customer service.
“We want to attract talented individuals, provide them with genuine career opportunities and demonstrate that logistics offers an exciting, rewarding and highly skilled profession.”
Parcel delivery company Evri accepts applications from external candidates for its HGV licence training programme.
The Driving Academy operates from sites in Normanton, Avonmouth and Hemel Hempstead and offers structured training for Category C (Class 2) and Category C+E (Class 1) licences – the qualifications required to drive large goods vehicles and articulated lorries.
Evri stated that the programme provides a new route into professional HGV driving for those looking to progress or change careers.
The Driving Academy – which helped drivers achieve 113 new HGV licences in 2025 alone – is now opening the scheme to external applicants.
One driver who recently progressed through the Academy is Ellie-Mae Saddington, who trained at the Normanton site and now works as a Class 1 Day Driver based in Sheffield.
Saddington joined Evri shortly after passing her standard driving test in 2021, initially working as a transit van driver for Evri ParcelShops.
Ellie-Mae completed both her Class 2 and Class 1 licences through the Academy’s bootcamp programme, passing Class 2 in 2023 and Class 1 first time in 2025, qualifying her to drive larger articulated vehicles.
Lyn Warren, Evri Chief Human Resources Officer, who achieved her own Cat C licence through the firm’s academy, said: “I’m proud that we’re building a workplace where everyone can thrive, and with the right training and support, you can achieve more than you think.
“The programme is designed to help anyone, regardless of background, step into a career in logistics, and I’d encourage all aspiring drivers to take that step.”
Meanwhile, the RHA has launched a new partnership with Hughes Driver Training aimed at making driver training more accessible for haulage, coach and van operators.
Under the collaboration, RHA members are able to access discounted drivertraining, covering everything from licence acquisition and driving tests to upskilling programmes for experienced drivers looking to progress.
Hughes Driver Training, which has operated since 1989, provides training from new entrants taking their first steps into the sector to experienced drivers looking to upgrade their qualifications.
Stephen Hards, Head of Operations at the RHA, said: “The industry must attract tens of thousands of new drivers every year. That’s the reality operators are facing.
“By working with a national training provider, we want to make it easier for firms to recruit and develop drivers, rather than leaving them to navigate the process alone.”
Ipswich-based Suffolk New College has also launched a Logistics Academy – in partnership with Road to Logistics.
The academy offers an intensive six-to-eight-week course called Warehouse to Wheels (W2W), aimed at employed warehouse and logistics staff who can be quickly and intensively upskilled to become drivers.
The college also offers the comprehensive Driver Ready Development (DRD) course, which lasts 10 to 14 weeks and includes work experience with a local operator.
This course is aimed at jobseekers, career changers and learners with little or no logistics experience.
This programme includes classes at the college’s Suffolk Rural Campus in Otley, as well as practical lessons at a reversing and manoeuvring area on the site.
It also provides support for candidates applying for their licences, booking medical examinations and securing Driver Qualification Cards (DQCs).
Angie Heaney, Project ManagerPM at Suffolk New College, said: “The classroom training includes a range of flexible modules designed to give potential drivers the skills they need to succeed, and we help with the theory element.
“We are here to support candidates, give them high quality training and provide the pool of talent local haulage companies need.”
The road transport industry faces a long-term challenge in attracting and developing the next generation of professional drivers. However, driver academies like the ones mentioned above, offer a pathway to a rewarding career for hard- working people with a positive attitude.
