The current truck driver shortage in nothing new – nor is it something exclusive to Australia. For a number of years now, in countries all around the world, transport operators are struggling to get bums in seats.
As more and more older truck drivers leave the industry due to retirement or a range of other factors, there’s been a constant struggle with trying to attract young people into the role.
A recent global survey conducted by IRU in Geneva examined the truck driver shortage crisis in countries around the world.
They released the Global Truck Driver Shortage Report 2024, on March 24, 2025.
It studied truck driver shortages in 36 countries and found that in those locations, 3.6 million positions remain unfilled – a similar figure to what was reported in the previous year’s results.
Worryingly, Australia ranks as having one of the oldest truck driver workforces. The countries found to have very high percentages of older drivers, aged over 55 include Spain at 50 per cent, Australia at 47 per cent, and Italy at 45 per cent.
In line with overall labour force participation rates for this age group, the percentage of truck drivers who are over 55 has increased by 1.6 per cent in the past year. The average truck driver age globally has gone up to 44.5.
Over the next five years, the report forecasts that 3.4 million truck drivers will retire in the countries studied.
That means that in Australia, 21 per cent of current drivers will have retired by 2029. In China it is 18 per cent; and across Europe is 17 per cent.
IRU says that for Australia and several European countries, notably Germany, Italy, Slovakia and Spain, the widening structural gap between younger and older drivers is particularly acute.
Across the 36 countries studied, young drivers under 25 make up just 6.5 per cent of the total truck driver workforce.
“The truck driver shortage crisis continues to deepen with, most alarmingly, an ever-widening chasm between young and older drivers,” said IRU Secretary General Umberto de Pretto.
“Without concerted and continuing action, this demographic timebomb will explode, seriously impacting economic growth and competitiveness across the globe.”