A new IRU report documents a global truck driver shortage of 2.9 million — 11% of the total workforce — across 18 markets. Europe faces the steepest gap at 13% (502,000 positions), with 65% of operators naming it their top concern. Demographic pressures loom large: 20% of Europe’s drivers and 24% of Australia’s are expected to retire within five years. Small operators (<50 employees) report shortage rates 6 percentage points higher than large firms. The report stresses that wage increases alone are insufficient; cab conditions, secure parking, time at home, and predictable schedules now drive retention. IRU Secretary General Umberto de Pretto calls for government-industry coordination to transform driving into a sustainable career path.
According to www.dcvelocity.com, a global report by the International Road Transport Union (IRU) identifies a shortfall of 2.9 million truck drivers across 18 markets — equivalent to 11% of the total workforce — with Europe facing the highest regional shortage rate at 13%, representing 502,000 unfilled positions.
Worsening recruitment crisis across continents
The IRU’s 2025 driver shortage survey reveals that driver recruitment difficulties are intensifying worldwide, topping operators’ concerns in most surveyed regions. In Europe, 65% of transport operators cite driver shortage as their most pressing challenge. The pressure is especially acute for small enterprises: operators with fewer than 50 employees reported shortage rates 6 percentage points higher than those of large companies. This disparity reflects structural constraints — firms with under 10 employees constitute 98% of EU road freight enterprises and employ 79% of the sector’s workforce, yet often lack resources for international hiring or structured training programs.
Demographic and structural drivers
The shortage is no longer cyclical but rooted in four persistent factors: ageing workforces, barriers to entry, inadequate infrastructure, and shifting workforce expectations. In Europe and Australia, demographic pressures dominate: approximately 20% of Europe’s driver workforce and 24% of Australia’s are projected to retire within the next five years. Meanwhile, in Mexico and Brazil, underdeveloped training pathways and structural labor constraints sustain high vacancy rates. In Uzbekistan and China, freight demand growth is outpacing driver supply — a dynamic increasingly visible in emerging logistics corridors across Central Asia and East Asia.
Changing job expectations reshape retention
Younger generations are increasingly reluctant to pursue long-haul driving, citing poor work-life balance, unpredictable schedules, and substandard working conditions. While pay remains relevant, operators now describe a “wage wall”: higher salaries alone are insufficient. Instead, decisive retention factors include cab and trailer quality, secure parking availability, time spent at home, schedule predictability, and overall work-life integration. As noted in the report, isolated corporate initiatives are unlikely to resolve systemic gaps — coordinated action is essential.
Pathways to systemic improvement
The IRU highlights successful multi-stakeholder models in Finland, the Netherlands, and Türkiye, where collaboration among transport operators, industry associations, and public authorities has strengthened recruitment pipelines. Women and younger people remain heavily underrepresented in the profession; removing training barriers, upgrading rest facilities, and modernizing the public image of professional driving could broaden the talent pool.
“IRU is calling for coordinated action from governments and industry. The shortage cannot be solved by recruitment campaigns alone.” — Umberto de Pretto, Secretary General, International Road Transport Union (IRU)
He emphasized that “the sector must improve the quality of the job and make professional driving a career that people can enter, build and remain in.”
Source: DC Velocity
Compiled from international media by the SCI.AI editorial team.
