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Jun 20 2024

New European skilled driver mobility project tackles chronic shortages

Europe is facing a severe shortage of bus, coach and truck drivers that is projected to, at the very least, double in the coming years without significant action.

 

Both sectors have an ageing driver population. Less than 3% of bus and coach drivers are below 25 years old, while more than 40% are over 55 years old. Similarly, less than 5% of truck drivers are below 25 and a third are over 55.

 

Recognising the gravity of the shortage, IRU members called on governments to focus on tailored immigration policies through the “Driver Shortage Also Needs Legal Immigration” resolution adopted last year.

 

IRU has now joined forces with the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD) and the Migration Partnership Facility (MPF) on a new initiative called Skilled Driver Mobility for Europe (SDM4EU). 

 

The project aims to comprehensively map the countries of origin and destination of professional drivers. It will also develop a skilled driver employment framework and support the mobility of drivers from countries with a surplus to those facing a shortage. 

 

SDM4EU brings together a wide range of stakeholders, including transport companies, professional drivers, recruitment experts, associations, unions, authorities, training institutes, and assessment centres. 

 

IRU Director of Certification and Standards Patrick Philipp discussed the pressing need to address the chronic shortage of drivers through global cooperation at the joint event of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD), titled Future-Proofing Labour Markets: The Role of Skills Mobility Partnerships, on 19 June in Paris, France. Read more

 

Source: IRU