According to the latest 2023 study by the International Union of Carriers (IRU), Europe is currently facing a shortage of over 230,000 truck drivers, including 29,000 in Poland. This profession is characterized by an aging workforce – the average age of drivers is 47 years. This deficiency has significant consequences: over half of European transport companies are unable to expand their business, and nearly as many are struggling with a decrease in productivity. As the expert from ID Logistics points out, if the current forecasts hold true, this phenomenon could disrupt supply chains throughout Europe.
The number of vacancies for drivers in the transport industry, according to the 2023 IRU study, can exceed 745,000 by 2028. In Poland, this deficit is around 29,000, which represents 7% of all positions in this industry. The situation is further exacerbated by the fact that a third of drivers in Europe are already over 55 years old, and many of them will retire within the next 10 years. At the same time, the youngest group (under 25 years old) represents less than 5%. This significant labor shortage means that over half of European transport companies are unable to expand their operations, resulting in almost 50% of enterprises experiencing a drop in productivity and a decrease in income in 39% of them. Faced with an aging driver population and an insufficient influx of young labor, the transport industry is faced with a serious challenge that might disrupt supply chains and the entire European economy.
“The shortage of truck drivers is already affecting many carriers, and forecasts suggest that this problem will only intensify. This can have far-reaching consequences for the entire supply chain, leading to downtime and increased transport costs, which ultimately may translate into higher product prices on store shelves,” explains Karolina Pawlak, FTL Director at ID Logistics Poland.
Stress, low wages, and lack of safety
The shortage of truck drivers worldwide is primarily due to demographic changes resulting in labor shortages in many sectors. Additionally, the younger generation often values a balance between work and private life, making the profession of driver less attractive. High costs of obtaining a driving license and professional qualifications also discourage people from working in this industry. Furthermore, according to the 2023 report by the Polish Institute of Road Transport, only 15% of drivers are not considering changing jobs. The main reasons for dissatisfaction include stress, lack of parking spaces, prolonged separations from family, and a low sense of safety – 39% of drivers consider parking lots to be dangerous or very dangerous. Moreover, 70% of them negatively evaluate the state of sanitary infrastructure in parking lots. Poor working conditions during loading and unloading are another problem, indicated by 31% of drivers. They are also often obliged to perform minor repairs themselves, which extends their working hours to up to 13-15 hours a day. Less incentive to take up a driver’s job is the fact that despite the increase in the cost of living due to inflation, the wages of 43.5% of drivers have not changed at all.
“Drivers often complain about working conditions, and the profession is burdened with many negative stereotypes. It’s no wonder that so few young people choose this career path. However, if the TSL sector and the European economy are to continue to develop, actions are needed from both the industry and lawmakers. There is also a need to improve the image of the truck driver profession. They themselves point to some advantages of their job, such as the opportunity to explore new places, meet people and learn foreign languages, as well as flexible working hours and a large number of job offers on the market,” comments Karolina Pawlak, FTL Director at ID Logistics Poland.
Addressing the shortage of drivers – changes in EU law and company strategies
The growing problem of driver shortage has already been noticed by the European Parliament, which on February 28, 2024, adopted a project that aims to change the driving license directive. The new regulations would lower the minimum age for truck drivers to 18 and would also have to be implemented in Poland. Entrepreneurs are also reacting. According to the IRU study, over 70% of European companies are taking action to retain and attract drivers. More than half of the operators provide bonuses for results and increase salaries. Operators also invest in modern vehicles (44%), cover the cost of obtaining qualifications (35%), and offer training (25%). Another solution that could support the Polish transport industry could be regulations facilitating the employment of drivers from abroad. The potential for such a solution is confirmed by the 2023 data from the Main Institute of Road Transport, which indicates that the number of valid certificates of foreign drivers in Poland has reached nearly 162.5 thousand.
Source: https://managerplus.pl/deficyt-kierowcow-w-europie-moze-siegnac-745-tys-wakatow-86305
