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Dec 21 2023

Global driver shortages: 2023 year in review

In 2023, IRU, backed with on-the-ground information from its members, continued to report and analyse global driver shortages: a chronic issue threatening mobility networks and supply chains. This article offers an overview of some of IRU’s efforts to analyse the situation, raise awareness and advance solutions.

For several years now, IRU has been publishing its global report on driver shortages.

 

In 2023, IRU’s report found that truck driver shortages have increased globally, with over three million unfilled truck driver jobs, or 7% of total positions, in 36 countries studied, representing 72% of global GDP.

Two exceptions were Europe and the United States, where shortages eased slightly in 2023 due to softer transport demand as a result of inflation and tighter monetary policy limiting consumption and investment.

 

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% of total positions), 745,000 in Europe (17% of total positions), and 200,000 in Türkiye (28% of total positions).

The truck driver profession has an ageing population: less than 12% of truck drivers are below 25 years old, falling to 5% in Europe, except for China (17%) and Uzbekistan (25%). Read more

 

Source: RAILFREIGHT.COM