Truck driver shortage deniers may want to rethink their position after a recent study indicates the worldwide workforce deficit exceeds 3 million across 36 countries.
The International Road Transport Union (IRU), based in Geneva, Switzerland, recently released its findings, forecasting that the lack of professional truckers could “double within five years.” The revelations stand in stark contrast to experts who called the supply chain problem a “myth” in 2023.
“The consequences of such a shortage are already harming the communities, supply chains and economies that depend on our industry,” IRU Secretary General Umberto de Pretto reportedly said. “We cannot allow driver shortages to get any worse. Operators are doing their part, but governments and authorities need to increase efforts to improve working conditions and access to the profession.”
After surveying upwards of 4,700 freight transportation outfits in North America, South America, Asia, and Europe, the organization discovered that trucker shortages have risen in recent years. The trucking operations that participated in the study represented 72 percent of the global GDP.
While efforts to onboard a more diverse workforce have helped reduce the shortages in the U.S. and Europe, the need for experienced drivers remains constant. According to the IRU data, trucker shortfalls have dipped to 64,000 from the widely adopted figure of 80,000. The EU reportedly runs a workforce deficit exceeding 233,000, and Canada continues to struggle to the tune of 24,000 drivers.
What’s proving particularly challenging is the demographic makeup of the current truck driver workforce. In the U.S., 29 percent of active CDL holders are 55 or older. Only 8 percent are 25 or younger, making attrition a significant issue as experienced drivers retire. The numbers are even more upside down in the EU, and competition for CDL holders is expected to become fierce over the next five years.
“The shortage is forecast to get much worse in the coming years. Without action to attract and retain drivers, over 7 million truck driver positions could be unfilled by 2028 in the surveyed countries, including 4.9 million in China (20 percent of total positions), 745,000 in Europe (17 percent of total positions), and 200,000 in Türkey (28 percent of total positions),” according to an IRU report.
If there’s a silver lining to the study, it’s the fact that truck drivers enjoy rare job security. The IRU also noted that the U.S. leads all countries in the percentage of female CDL professionals.
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