Driver shortages to jump to 40%
Unfilled commercial driver positions continue to increase at alarming rates across the globe, as the annual driver shortage survey by the International Road Union (IRU) shows.
Surveying more than 1,500 commercial road transport operators in 25 countries in the Americas, Asia and Europe, IRU found that truck driver shortages have increased in all regions in 2021 except Eurasia.
In Europe, they jumped by 42% from 2020 to 2021, with open unfilled driver positions reaching 71,000 in Romania, 80,000 in both Poland and Germany, and 100,000 in UK.
In Mexico shortages rose by 30% to reach 54,000; in China by 140% to reach 1.8 million. Looking ahead to 2022, operators expect a further increase: Turkey by 15%, Mexico by 32%, and Eurasia and Europe by 40%. (ben)