UD Trucks Survey Examines Working Conditions For Drivers In Japan

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An overall shortage of labour was just one of many reasons truck drivers feel working conditions in Japan have not improved compared to five years ago. (Photo courtesy of UD Trucks.)

Around 80% of the 400 truck drivers responding to a recent UD Trucks survey felt they were understaffed. Drivers cited low pay, an aging workforce, and long work hours as factors contributing to the lack of new drivers in the industry. Industry challenges in addition to a labour shortage at logistics and transport companies across Japan include increased workloads, more time spent waiting for cargo, and old and difficult-to-operate trucks, leading to deteriorating working conditions. Nearly 60% of drivers surveyed said that working conditions have not improved compared to five years ago.

Looming Amendments To Labour Standards Law

With Japan’s Labour Standards Law set to limit overtime to 960 hours per year beginning April 1, 2024, many drivers felt changes need to be made to maintain productivity going forward. Many respondents cited responses like “increase manpower to the transportation industry,” “reduce waiting time for cargo,” and “increase cargo utilisation rate” as ways to improve productivity. Less than 3% of drivers felt existing measures to reduce the labour shortage were sufficient. UD Trucks estimates that 244,000 additional drivers are needed to address the labour shortage in Japan.

Unfamiliar & Old Trucks Pose A Problem

The UD Trucks survey asked respondents to identify the biggest difficulties for new drivers when entering the profession. A full 37.5% indicated that the trucks were old and 21.3% cited that trucks were difficult to drive. Furthermore, 70% of drivers said they were anxious about driving unfamiliar vehicles, and 85% wanted a truck that was easy for anyone to drive. UD Trucks notes that pending overtime regulations are expected to increase the number of truck runs and the potential for operating unfamiliar trucks.

Inefficiency Issues

According to the survey, 74.5% of drivers feel stressed while waiting for trucks to be loaded; the average time spent waiting for cargo during a workday was 2.1 hours. Of the respondents, 27.8% said increasing truck utilisation was an issue. The inefficient loading and utilisation rates, combined with the labour shortage, lead 80% of respondents to say there was a need to improve the efficiency of operations overall.

You can find more results from the UD Trucks survey here.

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Source: UD Trucks