This is the most in-demand profession in Europe – thousands of vacancies

Road transport companies are in desperate need of workers, unable to attract “new blood”.

the Road transport Form An industry of vital importance for the global economy, ensuring – among other things – the supply of supermarkets, factories and pharmacies. It’s about him now Flexible way to deliver goodsIt is often the fastest and cheapest. This explains why 3/4 of the EU’s goods are still transported by road.

However, land transport witnesses a An unprecedented crisisbecause it was recorded as important Driver shortagewhich is expected to worsen according to existing data.

Sound the alarm 2022 the International Road Transport Association (IRU), which after surveying more than 1,500 commercial road transport operators in 25 countries across the Americas, Asia and Europe, the International Road Transport Union (IRU) found that the industry A shortfall of 2.6 million professional drivers worldwide.

in EuropeDriver shortage By 42% from 2020 to 2021With the number of driver vacancies reaching 71,000 in Romania, 80,000 in Poland and Germany and 100,000 in the UK. In Mexico the shortage rose by 30% to 54,000, while in China it rose by 140% to 1.8 million.

The reason lies in the fact that a lot Professional drivers retire With the The places they leave behind remain empty, since “New blood” does not enter a specific industry; Since prevailing working conditions prevent this, many professionals demand… Stressful job Intertwined with loneliness, and with low wages.

According to his article CNBCwhich cited evidence from United States Department of LaborThe average annual salary for heavy truck drivers in 2021 was $48,310, which is about $23 per hour. Many of them work 60-70 hours per week, But most of that time is dedicated to loading/unloading cargo They are paid only for driving time. As CNBC adds, there are many drivers They do not get paid for overtime work. do not benefit from health care services, Bear the cost of fuel Spending days or weeks away from home.

With the growing shortage of professional drivers spiraling out of control, threatening to derail the supply chain,… IRU in cooperation with the ITF (International Transport Workers’ Union) continued Create a three-point plan.

Among other things, they called on governments, transport employers and multinational customers to work with unions to achieve this Decent working conditions are providedand respect for basic labor rights.

Finally, they focused on the need for regulation Business integration programs for foreign driversso that they have the same conditions as the local workforce.

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