The shortage of commercial drivers has once again hit the headlines after a leading transport trade group called for the issue to be tackled at a global level. 

The International Road Transport Union (IRU) used its recent conference in Geneva to raise the issue of driver shortages, warning that the chronic shortage of professional coach and truck drivers is accelerating.

According to the IRU, there is currently a shortfall of some 600,000 bus and truck drivers across Europe, a figure forecast to reach almost two million by 2026 if current trends continue.

In a bid to reverse the shortage it plans to use the European Year of Skills — an EU initiative to promote lifelong learning — to ramp up efforts to reduce bus and truck driver shortages. As part of those efforts, it believes technology could help to make the industry more attractive, especially to younger people. 

In a statement, the IRU said that the ongoing digital and automation revolution provided “an ideal opportunity for the road transport sector to improve its attractiveness among European youth.” It’s also a chance to launch an industry-wide effort of upskilling to meet current and future demand, it said. 

In other words, the driver shortage — not just in the UK and Europe but across the globe — is something that cannot be ignored. 

Drivers recognise the importance of tech.

We recently carried out a survey among 150 fleet managers — and 1,000 commercial drivers — in the UK to gauge their opinions about the issues facing the sector. 

The findings — contained in the report  2023: The Road Ahead - Putting fleet managers in the driving seat of modernisation — echoed much of what the IRU said, in particular, that the ongoing digital and automation revolution that is sweeping the industry is vital to make a career in driving more attractive. 

It’s a theme that emerged from our survey with drivers giving technology a well-deserved thumbs up. 

Dash Cams (78%), GPS routing (77%), crash or incident detection (75%), and safety systems and alerts (75%) were all cited as technologies that they say would have a positive impact on their job. Together, they form a suite of technologies that put drivers at the heart of Samsara’s connected platform making their jobs more amenable in terms of driver safety and efficiency.  

The same is true of tablet and smartphone tools as part of digital admin and workflows (68%), which help replace paper-based systems with simple apps and interactive tools. Why, for example,  should a driver have a smartphone in their pocket that allows them to shop online, carry out personal financial transactions, and view on-demand video, but have to rely on pen and paper to carry out everyday work-related tasks? It simply doesn’t make sense. 

Fleet managers are looking to technology to help with the driver shortage.

It’s a point shared by fleet managers with almost all (97%) highlighting the importance of technology in a driver’s role. 

As the report says: “What’s clear is that there is a real appetite among fleet managers to tackle the driver shortage. [It] requires a range of measures including training programmes, flexible working, and the use of technology to reduce paperwork and streamline workloads.”

It’s a point summed up perfectly by Naz Khanom, Head of People at Lanes Group Plc, the UK’s leading wastewater utility solutions provider and largest independent drainage specialist. 

“Improving the kerb appeal of driving as a profession is something we all need to take seriously,” said Naz, who is quoted in the Samsara report. “The complex causes underlying underinvestment in the industry will need imaginative responses.”

And that’s the key. The industry knows it has a problem with driver shortages. The IRU recognises the problem and understands the role technology can play in making the job more attractive. Our research — having spoken to 1,000 drivers — makes it clear that there is an appetite among both fleet managers and drivers to adopt more technology. 

The message is loud and clear. If we are to prevent driver shortages from getting any worse, we have to take action now to attract new talent into the industry. 

Download your copy of 2023: The Road Ahead - Putting fleet managers in the driving seat of modernisation here.