The National Survey of Forklift Drivers 2025, conducted by BLOM training in collaboration with Right Market Research, provides key insights on the future of the transport and warehousing sector in the Netherlands. The sector is facing an ageing population, the advance of automation and significant safety and work climate issues that could jeopardise the employment and workplace future of thousands of forklift drivers.
Ageing sector
This is the fifth time the survey has been conducted. Looking back to the survey 10 years ago, it is very clear that the sector is ageing. 50% of forklift drivers in the Netherlands are 51 years old or older. In the 2015 survey, we saw that this was still at 30.4%. This points to an ageing workforce. This brings challenges for the sector, young workers are harder to find. Key question: how can this workplace be made more attractive to younger generations? There is a risk of labour shortages as older drivers retire.
Maarten Dullaert, manager of commerce at BLOM training: 'It is a challenge for the sector to attract and, above all, retain young talent. This can only be done by offering young employees better working conditions and career prospects. Investing in training and technology is also part of this.'
Automation, the fear of job loss
The survey reveals that 26% of drivers perceive the rise of automation as negative. In addition, 33% of respondents say they are concerned about losing their jobs due to the introduction of automated guided vehicles, or AGVs. Automation brings benefits to companies, such as improved efficiency and lower costs, yet there are significant concerns about job retention in the sector. Many drivers feel uncertain about their future in a rapidly changing digital environment.
Safety, there is still work to be done
Although 88% of drivers have forklift certificates, the sector faces significant safety risks. Accidents such as collisions, falling pallets and damage to vehicles are still too common, despite the presence of training programmes. The report shows that 61% of drivers believe that safety training actually improves safety in their organisation. However, there is still much room for improvement in the implementation of safety measures and the frequency of training.
Maarten Dullaert comments: 'Too often we still see things go wrong within internal transport, ideally I would like to see 100% of drivers having a valuable certificate. This sector is high-risk, and accidents often have major consequences. It is therefore essential that drivers have thorough training to reduce the risk of accidents as much as possible'.
Satisfaction among forklift drivers is a 7.9 on a scale of 10, fairly positive. Yet there are concerns about the work climate. The most frequently mentioned irritations are colleagues (10%), communication (7%) and managers (3%). This indicates the need for attention to improve communication and a focus on working relationships within the sector.
The future of the sector
The survey clearly shows that the future of the forklift operator and the material handling sector depends on how the challenges are addressed. The ageing of the profession, the rise of automation and concerns about safety and work environment are pressing issues that require immediate attention. The sector needs to invest in attracting young talent, integrating new technology and improving the workplace for current employees to secure its future.
About BLOM Training
With 22 locations, BLOM training is one of the Netherlands' leading internal transport training providers. Every year, BLOM trainings instructors train more than 30,000 trainees. BLOM opleidingen' mission is to reduce the number of fatal forklift accidents to zero. BLOM opleidingen is NEN-ISO 9001:2015 certified, CEDEO accredited for open enrolment and customisation, NRTO quality mark carrier and proud partner of the Healthy and Safe Warehouse Code.
