Operators deeply concerned by worsening driver shortage: new IRU report

IRU’s latest global driver shortage report finds that recruitment difficulties are worsening, with the shortage topping operators’ concerns across most surveyed markets.

• 2.9 million unfilled truck driver positions across 18 markets
• Around 20% of Europe’s driver workforce and 24% of Australia’s expected to retire within five years
• Driver shortage is the most pressing concern for 65% of operators in Europe
• Women account for just 4% of European truck drivers
• Freight demand is growing faster than driver supply in Uzbekistan and China

The global shortage of professional drivers is becoming increasingly difficult to address. Recruitment challenges are deepening and changing workforce expectations are making long-haul driving less attractive to younger generations.

IRU’s 2025 driver shortage survey found that around 2.9 million truck driver positions, equivalent to 11% of the workforce, remain unfilled across 18 markets. Europe has one of the highest shortage rates, at 13%, representing around 502,000 unfilled truck driver positions.

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

IRU Secretary General Umberto de Pretto said, “Despite significant industry efforts, the shortage of drivers has deepened as a critical structural issue for the road transport industry. Driver recruitment is directly affecting transport capacity, business growth and supply chain reliability.”

The pressure is particularly severe for long-haul operators and smaller companies. Operators with fewer than 50 employees reported shortage rates 6 percentage points higher than those of large companies. Small operators with fewer than ten employees, which account for 98% of EU road freight enterprises and 79% of the workforce, often have fewer resources to invest in recruitment, training and international hiring.

Women and younger people remain heavily underrepresented. Women account for only around 4% of European truck drivers, despite evidence that they tend to enter the profession at a younger age than men. Removing barriers to training, improving facilities and modernizing the image of the profession could open access to a much wider pool of potential drivers.

The retirement challenge makes this increasingly urgent. In Europe, around 660,500 drivers are expected to retire by 2030.

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 decisive. This shift is particularly visible in long-haul transport and coach tourism.

The report’s qualitative research reinforces the survey findings. IRU conducted in-depth interviews with national associations and major operators across Australia, Brazil, Canada, Europe and Türkiye.

The qualitative findings show that operators are adapting in different ways. Some are improving scheduling and working conditions. Others are investing in training, recruitment partnerships and clearer career pathways.

However, isolated company-level action is unlikely to be enough. The report points to examples from Finland, the Netherlands and Türkiye where cooperation between operators, associations and public authorities has helped create more effective recruitment pipelines.

“IRU is calling for coordinated action from governments and industry. The shortage cannot be solved by recruitment campaigns alone,” said Umberto de Pretto. “The sector must improve the quality of the job and make professional driving a career that people can enter, build and remain in.”

The report covers 18 markets across Europe, Australia, Brazil, China, Mexico and Uzbekistan, including the bus and coach sectors in Germany and Spain. It combines operator survey data with qualitative interviews, providing both a global benchmark and detailed insight into the realities behind the figures.