Pay for HGV drivers is keeping pace with inflation, but management-level wages in transport and logistics are starting to lag behind those in similar industries, according to new analysis of government data by Parcelhero.
The company looked at ONS figures and found that while HGV drivers now earn an average of £37,600, up from £28,100 in 2017, salaries for logistics managers and directors are not keeping the same momentum.
David Jinks, head of consumer research at Parcelhero, said: “In isolation, those salaries sound reasonably competitive, but how do they actually measure up compared to similar professions?”
A breakdown of average salaries showed:
- Transport & distribution managers: £42,900
- Storage & warehousing managers: £35,400
- Logistics managers: £48,100
- Directors in the sector: £63,300
- Couriers & delivery drivers: £32,300
Jinks pointed out that a production manager in manufacturing earns around £52,000, while a purchasing manager averages £61,300.
“This highlights the wafer-thin margins many transport companies are currently working to,” he said.
Director salaries have actually dipped slightly over time, from £64,200 in 2017 to £63,300 now. But at ground level, pay seems to have held up better, especially for HGV and delivery drivers.
Recently, drivers told T&D’s sister title, Motor Transport, they were being paid “peanuts”, blaming hauliers’ “greed” for pushing them out of the industry. Haulage bosses hit back, saying drivers don’t always see the huge costs operators are juggling.
