Impact Of The Deficit Of Professional Drivers On The Development Of Transport Enterprises From Rural Areas Of The West Pomeranian Province

The aim of the article is to present and evaluate the effects of the deficit of professional drivers and changes in remuneration on the activities and development opportunities of road freight transport enterprises from rural areas of Western Pomerania. To achieve this objective, literature analysis, comparative analysis and elements of descriptive statistics were used. The research material was constituted by data for 58 transport enterprises registered in rural areas of the West Pomeranian Province. Financial and employment data was obtained from financial statements and InfoVeriti and Bisnode Polska databases. In the complimentary research, qualitative data was obtained through the use of CAWI and CAPI survey methods. Changes in the employment volume of the surveyed entities and the amount of remuneration paid by them in 2008-2017 were examined and evaluated. The results obtained indicate that both employment and remuneration as well as other benefits paid to drivers increased in the period under consideration. Enterprises from urban and rural areas pointed out serious problems in recruiting employees. On the basis of the study, the effects of the driver deficit on enterprises were also determined. Among them were: difficulties in finding employees, rising labour costs, employment turnover, incomplete use of transport means and difficulties in the timely performance of contracts. In the opinion of the surveyed enterprises, personnel problems were caused by factors such as a decrease in the number of people with appropriate qualifications on the labour market, emigration for financial purposes and high competition among employers.