According to the RHA, virtually every haulier it speaks to is reporting rising shortages, and the issue runs far deeper than pay alone. The association says the lack of new recruits stems from three main factors: poor treatment of drivers, inadequate pay structures, and an unsociable, inflexible lifestyle.
Specialised areas such as tanker work remain less affected thanks to higher wages and training requirements. But in the general haulage market, even rising hourly rates are failing to attract new blood. The RHA stresses that decades of shipper pressure to cut costs have eroded margins and left smaller hauliers exposed — shrinking capacity across the supply chain.
The crisis is not confined to Britain. The RHA highlights Ireland, where operators say they are reaching a “tipping point” ahead of the winter peak season. Irish firms have long relied on EU drivers, but with fewer locals entering the industry, some young drivers are instead leaving for better-paid jobs in New Zealand and Australia.
Employers are now trying to recruit from as far afield as South Africa, but, according to the RHA, “chronic bureaucracy” is slowing the process, with visa applications taking up to a year.
A looming demographic gap
The RHA also points to data from the International Road Transport Union (IRU), showing that 3.6 million truck driver jobs are unfilled across 36 countries representing 70% of global GDP.
The age profile is cause for alarm: drivers under 25 make up just 6.5% of the workforce, while almost one in three drivers is over 55. With 3.4 million set to retire in the next five years, the RHA warns that many lorries could be left parked up without drivers.
“We’re moving closer to a tipping point,” the association notes, adding that government action on training and working conditions is needed before the situation becomes irreversible.
Technology no silver bullet
Some have looked to technology as a way out of the shortage. But the RHA argues there are simpler steps to take before autonomous trucks enter the picture. The rise of e-commerce, for example, has increased pressure on drivers, with distribution centres often insisting on short delivery slots while leaving vehicles waiting for hours to unload.
The RHA has repeatedly highlighted these inefficiencies, saying that better scheduling and clearer communication between warehouses and hauliers could make drivers’ jobs easier and improve satisfaction without costly new tech.
Call for urgent action
The RHA estimates the industry will need 40,000 new drivers annually over the next five years just to keep up with demand. It is calling for a coordinated response from government, training providers, and shippers to make driving a more attractive career.
As one RHA spokesperson put it:
“We’ve moved beyond warning about potential problems – we’re now managing a crisis that threatens the entire supply chain.”
For drivers already in the industry, the association’s message is clear: your skills have never been more valuable. But without fundamental change in how drivers are treated and supported, the next generation may not be there to take your place.
