Australia’s truck driver shortage is expected to intensify over the next five years as almost one-quarter of the nation’s professional drivers approach retirement.
The IRU 2025 Global Truck Driver Shortage Report found Australia’s ageing workforce is among the most significant challenges facing the road transport industry, with 24 per cent of the country’s truck drivers expected to retire within five years.
The findings come as operators worldwide continue to struggle to attract new drivers despite improvements in wages and recruitment initiatives.
Across 18 markets surveyed, the report identified around 2.9 million unfilled truck driver positions – equivalent to 11 per cent of the global professional driver workforce, with shortages worsening in almost every market since IRU’s 2021 benchmark survey.
Unlike previous shortages linked to economic cycles, IRU says the current challenge is increasingly structural, driven by ageing workforces, barriers to entering the profession, inadequate roadside infrastructure and changing workforce expectations.
Australia featured prominently in the report’s qualitative research, with interviews conducted with operators and industry associations highlighting concerns about recruitment and retention.
IRU Secretary General, Umberto de Pretto, said the shortage had become a critical constraint on the road transport sector.
“Despite significant industry efforts, the shortage of drivers has deepened as a critical structural issue for the road transport industry,” he said. “Driver recruitment is directly affecting transport capacity, business growth and supply chain reliability.”
The report also found that simply increasing pay is no longer enough to attract and retain drivers.
Instead, operators reported that job quality has become increasingly important, with drivers placing greater value on predictable schedules, time at home, work-life balance, secure parking and improved vehicle conditions.
Long-haul operators continue to face the greatest recruitment challenges, reflecting the lifestyle demands associated with interstate freight operations.
The report identified similar demographic pressures across Europe, where around 20 per cent of the current driver workforce is expected to retire within five years. In contrast, countries including China and Uzbekistan are experiencing shortages driven primarily by freight demand growing faster than the available labour pool.
IRU also highlighted the industry’s ongoing difficulty in attracting younger people and women into professional driving, arguing that improving training pathways, workplace facilities and the image of the profession could significantly expand the available workforce.
According to the report, coordinated action between governments, industry associations and operators will be needed to address the shortage, with examples from Finland, the Netherlands and Türkiye demonstrating the benefits of collaborative recruitment and training programs.
“The shortage cannot be solved by recruitment campaigns alone,” said de Pretto.
“The sector must improve the quality of the job and make professional driving a career that people can enter, build and remain in.”
The IRU report covers 18 markets across Europe, Australia, Brazil, China, Mexico and Uzbekistan and combines operator survey data with in-depth interviews to assess both the scale of the driver shortage and the factors shaping recruitment and retention across the global road transport industry.
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