That shift was a recurring theme in an expert webinar hosted by EITD and Trans.INFO on attracting and retaining professional drivers. Speakers agreed the driver shortage is no longer only about pay: demographics, administration, training and onboarding are now just as critical — and the biggest obstacle is paperwork, not language.
A Truckers Life Foundation report on professional driver pay highlights how quickly the workforce is ageing in Poland: only 1.5% of drivers are under 25, while nearly two-thirds are already over 40. More than half of transport companies say they struggle to fill driver roles, and almost one in three admit the shortages are already affecting order fulfilment or financial results.
Florence Le Guyader from the International Road Transport Union (IRU) said the same pattern can be seen across Europe:
We are facing a double challenge. Very few young drivers are entering the profession, while a growing group of experienced workers will soon retire. Unfortunately, the situation is not improving.
The imbalance is not limited to Europe. IRU data shows that while the share of young drivers is very low in Europe, in countries such as Uzbekistan or Mexico the proportion of drivers under 25 is many times higher. That demographic gap is one of the key reasons international recruitment is accelerating: carriers are not only hiring for immediate needs, but also looking for who will replace the current workforce in the coming years.
Why younger workers are turning away from the job
A few years ago, pay was often seen as the main barrier to attracting young people into the profession. Today, the challenge is broader. Le Guyader said the feedback from carriers and industry bodies is consistent:
When we ask carriers and industry bodies what makes it hard to bring in young drivers, the answers are very similar. The costs of getting qualified are high, there is a minimum age requirement, and the job’s image is a factor too. Young people see driving as lonely, dangerous and unhealthy.
Tove Dahlberg from the European Transport Workers’ Federation (ETF) pointed to the same issue, arguing that working patterns deter new entrants:
A truck driver does not work nine to five. People can spend weeks on the road. That’s exactly why the sector is becoming less attractive to new workers.
In her view, younger generations want predictability and a genuine chance to balance work with private life. If the industry cannot offer that, it will become harder to recruit — regardless of starting pay.
Non-EU recruitment is moving from option to necessity
With staffing gaps widening, more companies are filling vacancies by recruiting outside the EU. Ukraine and Belarus have been the most common sources so far, but the list of countries carriers target continues to expand.
MCG Logistics is one example: foreign nationals now account for around 80% of its employed drivers. Magdalena Szaroleta, managing director at MCG Logistics, said:
Most of our drivers come from Ukraine and Belarus. We also hire people from Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Pakistan. We’re expanding recruitment in Zimbabwe, Armenia and Georgia as well.
In Spain, the recruitment pattern looks different. Francisco Garcia, CEO of Export Cargo, said:
Historically it was mainly Moroccans and Colombians, and right now the fastest growth is among drivers from Peru.
Panelists also noted rising interest in candidates from North Africa and South America, as traditional recruitment channels no longer meet demand.
The hardest part is getting a candidate to day one
Counterintuitively, sourcing candidates is no longer the biggest challenge. The key constraint is the time needed to complete formalities.
Szaroleta said:
The biggest challenge isn’t finding applicants — it’s getting them to their first day at work. For drivers from Ukraine and Belarus it takes about a month. For candidates from other countries, procedures take three to four months, and sometimes even six. During that time, candidates apply to multiple companies in parallel, so in the end we hire around 20% of the people who started the recruitment process.
That changes the competitive dynamic. Carriers compete not only on pay and working conditions, but also on speed: many candidates begin paperwork with several employers and join the one that completes the process first.
Truckers Life research reflects the scale of the issue. Contrary to what the authors expected, companies did not point to language or cultural differences as the main barrier. Instead, they overwhelmingly cited administrative procedures and bureaucracy. Only 17% mentioned integration-related challenges.
Spanish operators report similar experiences. Garcia said:
The biggest problem is bureaucracy. Drivers need visas, recognition of qualifications and all the permits. It takes a lot of time. Bringing in a driver from Peru usually takes us five to six months.
During that period, companies incur recruitment costs without certainty that the candidate will ultimately take the job.
Signing a contract is only the beginning
Getting permits approved is only the first step. Drivers arriving from outside Europe need to learn not only local rules, but also how European road transport operates day to day.
Garcia explained:
They can drive trucks, but they need to learn European roads, safety procedures and toll systems.
At Export Cargo, new hires spend months on the road with experienced mentors. Depending on the skills assessment, that period can last from two to six months — and sometimes up to a year.
MCG Logistics uses a similar approach. Szaroleta said:
We have a dedicated onboarding programme. If we see a driver needs extra preparation, we send them out with an instructor for a week, two weeks, and sometimes even a month.
She added that companies should not assume that someone who drove a truck in their home country will be immediately ready for European operations. At MCG, drivers who help train newcomers from outside Europe can receive additional pay.
As webinar participants stressed, the goal is not to teach people how to operate a truck — many candidates already have extensive professional experience. The task is to bring them up to speed on European regulations, infrastructure, toll collection systems and the safety standards expected in international transport.
Language is not the main hiring hurdle — but it can disrupt operations
Employers do not see language as the main obstacle during recruitment, but it often becomes an issue later in day-to-day work, especially during loading and unloading.
Garcia said:
If a driver doesn’t speak the language, we should provide an interpreter and support. You can’t leave them alone with problems.
Szaroleta agreed:
A driver needs to know the problem isn’t only their problem. It’s a company problem.
Support should not sit solely with HR. Dispatchers, sales teams and customer-facing staff also need to be involved: they are often the ones who can negotiate loading conditions with partners or respond when drivers are delayed for hours at a site.
Your best recruiter may already be on the payroll
So how do companies reach new candidates? In many cases, current drivers outperform employment agencies.
Szaroleta said:
Referrals are the most effective recruitment method. One satisfied driver often brings in more colleagues.
In the Truckers Life report, 75% of surveyed companies named referrals as their top way to find staff. Le Guyader said the IRU sees similar patterns:
Driver communities form around companies. Recommendations very often decide which employer someone chooses — especially for drivers coming from outside Europe.
Growth in foreign hiring also raises expectations on fair treatment
As more non-EU drivers enter European fleets, employers take on greater responsibility. Candidates who come to Europe hoping to improve their financial situation can be particularly vulnerable to unfair practices.
Dahlberg said:
We need drivers from third countries, but at the same time we must ensure they are treated properly and that the rules protecting them are respected.
The ETF expert warned that drivers from distant countries can be especially exposed to abuse:
We meet drivers from India who spend as long as three months on the road without the possibility of going home.
Europe needs system changes, not just higher wages
Webinar participants argued that recruiting outside the EU will not solve the problem if procedures remain long and complex. Le Guyader reiterated that young people are deterred by the high cost of qualifications, minimum age requirements, and the perception of driving as a solitary job that keeps people away from family for long stretches.
What is needed is action on several fronts at once: encourage young people into the profession, simplify visa processes and speed up recognition of qualifications, invest in professional onboarding programmes, and enforce rules that protect workers from exploitation more effectively.
Garcia concluded:
We shouldn’t focus only on raising wages. We have to look at the whole package — good planning, the ability to get home quickly, better productivity and cooperation with customers.
From the carrier perspective, the conclusion is straightforward: there is no shortage of people willing to apply, but the gap between starting recruitment and having a driver ready to work can stretch to half a year. With the staffing crunch deepening and competition for workers rising, that timeline — more than pay or language — is becoming a key barrier.
As Szaroleta noted, recruitment success should not be measured by the number of contracts signed, but by how many drivers stay in the profession long term:
If we want the younger generation to choose this career, a higher salary alone won’t be enough. We need to build a profession that today’s drivers would recommend to their own children. That will be the real measure of a company’s success.
That shift is also reflected in wider industry data on driver vacancies and in the growing focus on driver retention beyond pay alone.
