Freight Industry Lacks Sex Appeal

A couple of weeks ago I had the pleasure of sharing a cup of tea with a 70 year old boson working with a New Zealand shipping company. We shared a few yarns about the people we knew, captains union characters and the odd seaman who stood out because he got it badly wrong.

All good fun and a reminder of the great people working in the industry. What was really surprising though was how many old folk (myself included according to the household teen) are still hard at work in the freight industry including this remarkable (and very skilled) boson.

It seems that despite the skill required, the sophisticated nature of the equipment, the responsibility and the variety of freight industry operations are just not sexy enough to attract new entrants. Add to that the magnetic pull of Australia for staff still young enough to love their poddy and pretty soon train cabs will have hand controls for custom zimmer frames.

What we need is a few new ideas. Relying on foreign shipping is already popular. Not bothering with trains could work. Good wages and comfy conditions are tough asks in an industry that sees a few crumbs as a hearty meal. (Aside from ports feasting on the log industry).