For Erica Giraldo, AFTRI’s Legal and Public Affairs Officer, the solution to France’s chronic bus and truck driver shortage is twofold: better communicating the new and improved image of the profession to attract younger generations and the local workforce, and, in a second step, relying on foreign talent to fill the gaps.

All four countries joining eCMR in 2026 are in the Western Balkans region. The latest is Serbia.

A new road transport training centre has opened in Uzbekistan, strengthening the skills of trainers and assessors to drive the sustainable professionalisation of the sector.

The IRU x Upply x Ti Q2 2026 report shows that European contract and spot markets have accelerated sharply, breaking with the softer conditions seen through late 2025 and in Q1 2026. Contract rates rose to 148 index points, up 7.9 points quarter on quarter (QoQ) and 15.2 points year on year (YoY). Spot rates climbed even more steeply, reaching 146.8 index points, up 14.6 points QoQ and 13.9 points YoY, nearly double contract rate's quarterly pace. After three quarters of divergence, both markets

Italy’s truck driver shortage has slightly eased. It currently stands at 9%. But the underlying challenges remain. The issue is not only about numbers, Andrea Tardivo, Technical Expert at IRU member CONFETRA, told us.

A new EU-supported project aims to address acute road transport labour shortages by testing safe, legal labour mobility pathways for trained and certified professional drivers between non-EU talent partnership countries and the EU.

IRU and the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) have reaffirmed their commitment to closer cooperation on road transport, digitalisation and trade facilitation across the ECO region.