There are now 10,491 transport companies in Belgium, which is an increase of almost 5% compared to last year, according to the UPTR’s latest figures.
“The sector is healthier than ever,” Michaël Reul, secretary-general and spokesman for the UPTR, told transportmedia.be. “Those who are considering working in our industry can therefore enter the market with confidence.”
Of the 10,491 registered enterprises, 7,376 reside in Flanders; and 2,121 in Wallonia. Together, they have a total of 86,131 vehicles on the roads – over 5,000 more than a year ago. Compared to 2017, the number of transport companies has increased by almost 22%.
The reason behind the significant growth is said to be the extreme increase in online shopping ignited by the pandemic.
With the huge demand for transportation services naturally comes a growing labour shortage in the sector, Reul, added. According to the estimations, there are 5,000 vacancies to fill.
“Investing today in obtaining a C or CE driving license for driving a truck is certainly a wise investment,” Reul concluded.