In recent months, British farmers have had to tackle the compounded impacts of the post- covid economy, climate change and Brexit – all whilst they strive to keep food on the nation’s tables.
In the wake of the cost-of-living crisis, the BBC has reported on the difficulties faced by local farmers trying to attract seasonal workers for this year’s harvests. Despite the gloom, farmers are attempting to overcome adversity by investigating innovative new ways to attract workers.
Shared commuting shuttles could be one such solution, allowing farmers, food manufacturers and factory workers countrywide to tap into labour markets slightly outside their perimeter without having to rely on mainline transport networks which stifle access to these areas.
Today a key concern for farmers is the shortage of seasonal labour, with some business owners turning to creative alternatives such as “pick your own” schemes to mitigate the shortage of workers and ensure crops do not go to waste. Whilst the government has introduced a new policy, rolling out 15 000 additional visas to encourage more temporary workers to join the harvest effort, there are still transport concerns farmers need to overcome (Evans, 2023).
This is where shared commuting shuttles can come in handy! For farmers located in rural areas with less access to mainline transport systems, it is increasingly difficult to attract staff or even general members of the public for “pick your own schemes”. Transport is accredited as being one of the key hinderances that farmers must overcome when trying to tap into the tight labour market. Shared shuttles can offer farmers and food manufacturers with a competitive advantage by establishing flexible, on-demand minibuses that transport seasonal workers to and from the farm.
At WeMove, we also appreciate that farmers are the backbone of our society and therefore we ensure that our transport services do not add more to their plates. Our expert team handles everything from supplier management to live operations, launch to optimisation. Our bespoke shared shuttles allow British farmers to boost recruitment and employee wellbeing by offering a convenient transport option. WeMove is truly the cream of the crop when it comes to commuting!
This article was originally published by WeMove.
