Newsroom

That is the message from Craig Faucette, Chief Operating Officer at IRU member Trucking HR Canada. He says trucking companies are not facing the same shortage levels seen during and immediately after the pandemic. But this is not because Canada has solved the long-term supply problem.

Driver shortage is putting growing pressure on operators in Europe. IRU member UPS takes special care to get the drivers it needs. But it’s aware of the evolving challenges. We spoke with Chelsea Allison, Vice President Human Resources at UPS Europe, Middle East and Africa, to understand how the company is responding.

The shortage of professional drivers is a major challenge for Turkish operators. But targeted cooperation between industry and government is opening the profession to new talent. Long-term career visions and digitalisation are also key to making the profession more attractive.

For Torello, driver shortage is not only a labour market issue. It is also a question of bureaucracy, certification and integration, especially for drivers from outside the EU. The company can identify, recruit and train drivers. But making them fully qualified and ready to work takes far too long.

Women remain significantly underrepresented in the road passenger transport workforce, especially as drivers. At the launch of UN Tourism’s first global study on women in tourism transport, IRU outlined practical ways to attract and retain more women workers in bus and coach operations.

IRU’s latest global driver shortage report finds that recruitment difficulties are worsening, with the shortage topping operators’ concerns across most surveyed markets.

IRU underscored the need for clearer and more practical labour mobility pathways for professional drivers between North Africa and the EU at a recent labour mobility workshop with the private sector, policymakers and labour mobility experts in Turin, Italy.

Rising freight demand, an ageing workforce, limited training pathways, and poor facilities are creating a growing challenge for Australia’s trucking sector. We spoke with Sarah Dunning, Strategic Adviser for IRU member NatRoad, to better understand the situation in Australia.

The Netherlands is not yet facing the same acute truck driver shortage seen in some European markets. But a deeper structural challenge is already taking shape. We spoke with Nadia Goverde, HR Director at IRU member Jan de Rijk, to better understand how Dutch operators are experiencing the shortage and preparing for the years ahead.

IRU welcomes the vote of the European Parliament Committee on Employment and Social Affairs (EMPL) on the provisional agreement revising the coordination of social security systems at EU level.

IRU, the world road transport organisation, and the Gulf Petrochemicals and Chemicals Association (GPCA), the voice of the chemical industry in the Arabian Gulf, have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to advance safer dangerous goods transport.

BUS2BUS 2026 confirms its role as a key platform for industry and policy dialogue. IRU contributed to the discussions, bringing the EU policy perspective and its implications for operators’ day-to-day operations.

IRU welcomes the adoption of the EU Talent Pool as a step towards addressing labour shortages, including in road transport, but stresses that it must be accompanied by concrete measures to deliver results.

As the EU road transport sector accelerates its green and digital transition, the spotlight is increasingly on the people who will make it work on the ground. That was the message from a week of IRU discussions in Brussels, where EU policymakers, industry leaders and operators gathered to focus on one priority: how to align skills, technology and regulatory frameworks to deliver the transition.

The European Commission has published a comprehensive study conducted by IRU on the recruitment and integration of professional bus and truck drivers from third countries into the EU labour market.

The EU road transport community made significant gains in 2025. In close cooperation with its members, operators and policymakers, IRU helped drive progress on several major EU files, grounded in on-the-ground realities.

IRU and EU Transport Commissioner Apostolos Tzitzikostas today discussed how upcoming transport measures align with day-to-day operational realities across the sector.

At this year’s SOLUTRANS exhibition in Lyon, France, IRU put the spotlight on two pressing challenges facing road transport: the shortage of drivers and the road to net-zero.

IRU’s EU goods and passenger transport committees have adopted two new policy positions on driver qualifications and vehicle inspection rules, setting out practical reforms for current and future challenges.

IRU welcomes the European Parliament’s final approval of the modernised EU driving licence rules. The reform, agreed between EU institutions earlier this year, strengthens road safety and improves access to the profession, in line with IRU priorities.

With trucking facing a chronic shortage of drivers, issues such as parking are under increasing scrutiny. To get a clearer picture, we partnered with Truckfly by Michelin and asked drivers directly how they feel about their own profession.

IRU has wrapped up a successful week at Busworld Europe 2025 in Brussels, driving policy dialogue and industry collaboration on key issues shaping the future of passenger road transport.

Improving laws, governance, compliance, skills certification and operating conditions to drive safer, cleaner and more efficient commercial road transport is the aim of a new sector reform guide from the World Bank and IRU.

IRU has called on the United Nations to establish global standards for professional drivers, warning that inconsistent qualifications are undermining road safety and efficiency worldwide.

IRU, the European Transport Workers’ Federation and the European Secure Parking Organisation have sent a joint letter to the European Commission’s Executive Vice-President, Roxana Mînzatu, urging concrete steps to accelerate the development of safe and secure truck parking areas across the EU.

IRU joined the European Commission’s Implementation Dialogue on Fair Labour Mobility in Brussels yesterday, highlighting practical, future-oriented proposals to simplify the application of EU labour rules and secure a sustainable workforce.

The European Commission Vice-President for Jobs and Skills, Roxana Mînzatu, visited several truck parking areas in Belgium this week to witness first-hand the extreme disparity in conditions, ranging from a state-of-the-art facility to a site lacking even basic services.

From highways to mines, Scania is testing autonomous vehicles. What’s the state of the technology? What can be expected by 2030? And what will be the role of truck drivers in the future?

Foreign truck drivers operating in the US have long been required to demonstrate English proficiency. A recent executive order under the Trump administration has elevated failure to comply from a standard violation to an out-of-service condition. What does this mean in practical terms?

Morocco and Italy are aligning to raise and harmonise professional driver qualification standards – unlocking international work opportunities.

Tackling the shortage of professional drivers is vital to securing the future of trucking across the Americas – with better conditions at pickup and delivery sites being a key part of the solution.

South America stands to gain from more secure cross-border trade through the TIR system, including stronger links to global markets via key ports in Chile and across the region.

The chronic shortage of truck drivers continues to threaten the efficiency of transport and logistics operators. IRU outlined why a major part of the solution lies in professionalisation at ALACAT 2025 in Madrid.

IRU, the world road transport organisation, has presented the 2025 Top Road Transport Manager award to 45 managers in ten countries.

As the EU looks to strengthen working conditions, invest in skills, and modernise infrastructure, IRU and UNTRR met EU Executive VP Roxana Mînzatu to discuss practical solutions for drivers and operators alike.