Spotlight on global truck driver shortage

There are 2.9 million unfilled truck driver positions across 18 markets including Australia, according to IRU’s latest global driver shortage report.

The world road transport organisation's latest report found that driver shortage is the most pressing concern for 65% of operators in Europe, with around 20% of Europe’s driver workforce (and 24% of Australia’s) expected to retire within five years.

Of the 2.9 million unfilled truck driver positions (equivalent to 11% of the workforce), Europe has one of the highest shortage rates, at 13%, representing around 502,000 unfilled truck driver positions.

According to the report, a major cause is "changing workforce expectations are making long-haul driving less attractive to younger generations".

Women are also under-represented, accounting for just 4% of truck drivers in Europe.

"In almost every market surveyed, the 2025 shortage rate was higher than the 2021 baseline," the IRU said.

"The findings continue to show that the shortage is no longer closely linked to short-term economic cycles. Instead, ageing workforces, barriers to entry, a lack of adequate infrastructure, and changing expectations about work are becoming the dominant factors.

"In Europe and Australia, demographics are the main pressure. In Mexico and Brazil, structural labour constraints and underdeveloped training pathways keep shortage rates high. In Uzbekistan and China, freight demand is growing faster than the supply of available drivers.

"Around two-thirds of European operators report turning down new contracts as they cannot find enough drivers, with 65% of them ranking driver shortage as their most pressing concern. That’s four times the rate of any other issue."

The IRU believes "removing barriers to training, improving facilities and modernising the image of the profession could open access to a much wider pool of potential drivers".

The report also highlights a major change in how professional drivers assess employment opportunities.

Pay remains important, but operators increasingly describe a “wage wall”. Higher wages alone are no longer enough to attract or retain drivers. Cab and trailer conditions, secure parking, time at home, predictable schedules and work-life balance are increasingly important, with the shift most evident in long-haul transport and coach tourism.

IRU conducted in-depth interviews with national associations and major operators across Australia, Brazil, Canada, Europe and Türkiye.

“IRU is calling for coordinated action from governments and industry," IRU Secretary General Umberto de Pretto said.

"The shortage cannot be solved by recruitment campaigns alone. The sector must improve the quality of the job and make professional driving a career that people can enter, build and remain in.”