Missing: 2.9 million drivers

 

The global shortage of professional drivers is becoming increasingly challenging.

Our latest driver shortage survey found that 2.9 million truck driver positions are unfilled across 18 markets.

In almost every market surveyed, the shortage rate is higher than the 2021 baseline.

At 13%, Europe has one of the highest shortage rates.

Along with the latest data, we explore the IRU member side of addressing the problem with Jan de Rijk in the Netherlands and NatRoad in Australia.

Thirty years of road transport and IRU IRU Secretary General Umberto de Pretto has been in the industry for over 30 years. As he prepares to hand over the reins, we sat down with him to reflect on those three decades. Part 1 is on the industry; part 2 is on IRU itself. How cities are making buses even faster and more reliable – for less Bus rapid transit systems are one of the most practical ways for cities to improve mobility without building a full rail system. We looked into four examples from the Americas, Asia and Europe. Paperless freight: vendors and experts eye new eCMR interoperability plan A new industry initiative is injecting fresh momentum into the uptake of eCMR, targeting interoperability across vendors, users and countries.

Global Driver Shortage Report 2025 The only global, annually updated analysis of driver shortage across road freight and passenger transport. Covering 18 markets and two transport sectors, it combines: Hard data Demographic trends Regulatory overviews Direct operator sentiment Access report

More news

Inside the North American trade negotiations: status report Protect the North American trade deal, modernise borders and keep goods flowing. That was the message from our recent North American Transportation Forum webinar with experts following the negotiations. Ageing workforce looms over Dutch trucking industry The Netherlands is not yet facing the same acute shortage seen in other markets. But a deeper structural challenge is taking shape. We spoke with our member Jan de Rijk to better understand how operators are experiencing the shortage and preparing for the years ahead. Australia’s truck driver shortage deepens as workforce pressures mount Rising freight demand, an ageing workforce, limited training pathways, and poor facilities are creating a growing challenge for Australia’s trucking sector. We caught up with our member NatRoad to better understand the situation.

Transport organisations call for stronger bus driver safety rules IRU, ITF and ETF call for urgent international action to better protect bus and coach drivers in frontal collisions. Active safety systems alone are not enough to fully protect drivers.  Faster times, new services: Saudi Arabia continues to boost trade with TIR Saudi Arabia is reinforcing its role as a key trade hub through its strong and continued support for the TIR system. This commitment is translating into tangible and growing benefits. 2026 Connecting Europe Facility call delivers on key road transport asks The package includes EUR 130M for alternative fuels infrastructure, EUR 20M for external border-crossing improvements, and EUR 20M for digitalisation, new technologies and innovation.

IRU fuel prices Fuel price shifts shrink margins. Get daily updates in 40+ countries with a 1-week forecast to help you plan with confidence.

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