Shortage becomes operators’ biggest concern
The International Road Transport Union’s latest global driver shortage report has found 2.9 million unfilled truck driving positions across 18 markets, equal to 11% of the workforce surveyed. The findings suggest the crisis is becoming structural rather than cyclical. In most markets, shortage rates were higher in 2025 than the 2021 baseline, despite changes in freight demand and wider economic conditions.
Ageing workforces, difficult entry requirements, poor roadside infrastructure and changing expectations about work are now shaping the shortage more strongly than short-term economic swings. Europe recorded one of the most severe gaps, with about 502,000 positions unfilled, representing 13% of its truck driver workforce. Driver scarcity was ranked as the most pressing concern by 65% of European operators – four times the level of any other issue. Around two-thirds of operators surveyed in Europe said they had turned down new contracts because they could not find enough drivers.
“Despite significant industry efforts, the shortage of drivers has deepened as a critical structural issue for the road transport industry,” said IRU Secretary General Umberto de Pretto. “Driver recruitment is directly affecting transport capacity, business growth and supply chain reliability.”
Smaller fleets carry heavier burden
The pressure is particularly severe for long-haul companies and smaller transport businesses. Operators employing fewer than 50 people reported shortage rates six percentage points higher than those recorded by large companies. This matters because small operators dominate European road freight. Businesses with fewer than 10 employees account for 98% of EU road freight enterprises and 79% of the workforce, yet often have less money to spend on training, recruitment and international hiring.
The pattern has relevance for South Africa, where many road freight operators also run lean fleets and compete in a market shaped by tight margins, demanding routes and intense pressure on vehicle utilisation. The report does not include South Africa, but its warning about lost capacity and rejected work will be familiar to local operators. A shortage of qualified drivers does more than leave vehicles parked. It limits fleet growth, increases pressure on existing employees and can undermine service reliability across supply chains.
Retirement wave gathers force
Demographics are intensifying the problem. About 20% of Europe’s driver workforce and 24% of Australia’s are expected to retire within five years. Europe alone could lose approximately 660,500 drivers to retirement by 2030. Younger people are not entering the occupation quickly enough to replace them. Women also remain severely underrepresented, accounting for only about 4% of European truck drivers.
The IRU argues that better training access, safer and more suitable facilities and a modernised image of professional driving could broaden the recruitment pool. Women who do enter the industry tend to join at a younger age than men, suggesting that removing practical barriers could deliver longer-term benefits.
Pay rises hit a “wage wall”
The report also challenges the assumption that higher wages alone will solve the crisis. Operators increasingly describe a “wage wall”, where further pay increases fail to attract or retain enough drivers. Drivers are placing greater value on cab and trailer conditions, secure parking, predictable schedules, time at home and work-life balance. These factors are becoming particularly important in long-haul freight and coach tourism, where extended periods away from home can deter younger recruits.
Freight demand is also outpacing driver supply in fast-growing markets such as China and Uzbekistan. In Mexico and Brazil, weak training pathways and structural labour constraints continue to keep shortages high. Some operators are responding with improved scheduling, training partnerships and clearer career paths. However, the IRU says isolated company initiatives will not be enough.
“The shortage cannot be solved by recruitment campaigns alone,” De Pretto said. “The sector must improve the quality of the job and make professional driving a career that people can enter, build and remain in.”For South Africa, that message deserves attention. Recruiting more drivers without improving safety, training, facilities and working conditions risks filling vacancies temporarily while leaving the deeper causes of the shortage entirely untouched.
