The International Road Transport Union (IRU) has released the Global Truck Driver Shortage Report for 2024, providing a clear picture of the deepening driver crisis facing the transport industry here and abroad.
“The report from 2024 reaffirms that the shortage of truck drivers is a long-term structural issue that persists in all regions,” said Umberto de Pretto, IRU Secretary General.
“Of 5,100 trucking firms surveyed in 2024, up to 70 percent, in some countries, face severe or very severe difficulties in recruiting drivers. Globally, the share of truck drivers who are over 55 is 31.6 percent. Countries with very high percentages of older drivers include Spain at 50 percent, Australia at 47 percent, and Italy at 45 percent.”
According to the report the number of unfilled truck driver jobs ranged from seven percent to 17 percent of the total driver workforce, representing 3.6 million truck drivers across all countries involved in the study.
This is a chronic structural issue across the world for the trucking industry, with between 44 percent and 70 percent of trucking operators saying they are facing severe or very severe difficulties in getting drivers.
There were close to 28,000 unfilled heavy vehicle driver positions in Australia in 2024, to put things into perspective Down Under.
Australia reports 47 percent of drivers to be over 55, yet only 5.4 percent of drivers in Australia are under 25. This is part of a ticking global demographic time bomb.
In the coming years, retiring drivers will further drive the existing shortage if they are not replaced. At a point when the freight task is growing, Australia can expect 21 percent of its drivers to retire by 2029, according to the IRU analysis.
“This is a global problem, and the Australian Government must demonstrate national leadership by addressing the local driver shortage and improving road safety,” said NatRoad CEO, Warren Clark.
“We need a Road Freight Workforce Action Plan including a national Truck Driver Standard, licensing and training reform and a consistent truck driver apprenticeship across all states and territories.”
The predicted global GDP growth reported by IRU will further exacerbate the problem, as higher economic output means a higher demand for truck drivers. In Australia road freight volumes are projected to grow by 77 percent by 2050, placing immense pressure on top of the existing shortage and impeding retirement of existing truck drivers.
IRU represents road transport operators worldwide and has member associations and associate members in over 100 countries across all five continents. NatRoad joined as a member of IRU in 2023 and facilitated Australian participation in the Global Truck Driver Survey for the first time in 2024.
