A truck driver has experienced a pay increase from $24 to $34 per hour, yet he is still planning to leave his job, as reported by the BBC on Wednesday.
This salary boost comes in the context of a truck driver shortage that has disrupted supply chains in both the US and the UK.
Tom Reddy, based in Stratford upon Avon, UK, shared details about his unexpected raise via Twitter on Sunday.
In an interview with the BBC on Wednesday, he explained that his hourly wage rose by 40% from £17.50 ($24) to £24.50 ($34).
This change translates to an annual salary increase from £36,400 ($50,200) to £50,960 ($70,300), according to data from the job site talent.com.
Having worked as a truck driver for 15 years, Reddy remarked, “In a typical year, I might expect a mere 20p ($0.28) hike, but this significant jump suggests something major is happening.”
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Reddy highlighted on the BBC’s “Wake Up to Money” program that truck driving often means sacrificing family time due to irregular work hours.
He noted, “It’s a tough pitch to encourage people to become truck drivers.”
Currently, the UK faces a shortage of 100,000 truck drivers, according to the Road Haulage Association, which is impacting supply chains and causing extensive delays for retailers like McDonald’s and Nando’s.
A similar situation is unfolding in the US, where the Federal Reserve indicated in June that a labor shortage, including the deficit of truck drivers, is resulting in supply chain disruptions and increased shipping costs.
