The Driver Deficit in the EU: A Structural Logistics Crisis

The shortage of professional drivers is not an isolated problem in Spain, but a structural crisis affecting the entire European Union and threatening the resilience of supply chains. It is estimated that the deficit in the community bloc stands at around 500,000 drivers, a figure that jeopardises the smooth functioning of the single market and is exacerbated by an ageing workforce, a significant portion of whom are over 55. This shortfall is evident in multiple European capitals and forces governments and the industry to seek urgent and often innovative solutions.

Taking concrete examples, Germany, the continent’s economic powerhouse, has an estimated deficit of 60,000 to 80,000 drivers. Measures there involve intensifying accelerated training (Beschleunigte Grundqualifikation), actively promoting international recruitment (especially from outside the EU), and digitising administrative procedures to make the profession more attractive. In Poland, a pillar of road transport in Europe, the shortage is also acute, partly due to the outflow of many drivers to Western European companies offering better wages. Polish actions focus on improving working conditions and attempting to repatriate talent. France, for its part, combines subsidies for obtaining the driving licence (C/C+E) with campaigns to revalorise the profession socially and facilitate access to rest areas.

The consequences of this massive deficit are tangible: increases in transport costs, delays in deliveries, and unsustainable pressure on active drivers, which can compromise road safety. Experts on the subject emphasise the multidimensional nature of the problem. Organisations such as the IRU (International Road Transport Union) insist that a combination of attractive salaries, better working conditions (especially regarding the availability of safe parking spaces and rest areas), and administrative simplification at the European level is needed.

From a trade union perspective, the European Transport Workers’ Federation (ETF) argues that the root of the problem is not just a lack of people, but the harshness of working conditions that deter young people. Extremely long hours, weeks away from home, and the perception of a socially undervalued profession are more powerful barriers than salary alone. They advocate for rigorous enforcement of regulations on driving and rest times, and for ensuring that drivers can return to their homes regularly.

In conclusion, the driver crisis is a symptom of a logistics model that has prioritised short-term efficiency over the human sustainability of the sector. National measures, although necessary, are stopgaps if not accompanied by a coordinated European strategy that comprehensively addresses the image, conditions, and training in the sector. Without decisive action to transform the profession, the deficit of 500,000 drivers will not only persist but deepen, making empty shelves or shipping delays cease to be an anomaly and become a foretold chronic issue. The future of road transport in Europe depends on its ability to reinvent itself as an attractive, dignified, and modern sector.