As the economy reopens, companies are once again struggling with a major shortage of truck drivers, so the sector will have to put more effort into getting young people and women behind the wheel.
This is according to ABN AMRO.Until early 2021, vacancies could be filled quickly as unemployed drivers returned to work. In the second quarter, however, almost a quarter of companies faced staff shortages. UWV data show that drivers are especially hard to find at logistics hubs. The shortages are greatest in Brabant (Den Bosch, Eindhoven, Breda and Tilburg), Venlo, Zwolle and Apeldoorn.
The shortage means some companies cannot meet the growing demand for road transport. There is an advantage to this, according to ABN AMRO: if this tightness occurs across the road transport industry, entrepreneurs may be able to raise rates. On balance, therefore, the industry is positive about its competitive position for the first time in three years.
Profession more accessible to women
The acute shortage of truck drivers also has structural causes, according to ABN AMRO. Many young people do not find the profession attractive. For instance, there are few rest areas, there is often too little time to sleep and many drivers complain about long working days. "In view of the ageing population and the expected growth in the market, the sector will have to make more efforts to attract young people and women. For instance, it is estimated that almost 8,000 truck drivers will be needed every year until 2025," says Albert Jan Swart, Sector Economist Transport and Logistics at ABN AMRO. "Thanks to loading and unloading systems, the work has become less physically demanding, making the profession more attractive and accessible to women."
Training your own drivers
According to the bank, transport entrepreneurs can train more drivers themselves in the coming years. Swart: "That requires an investment, but ultimately prevents a shortage of drivers from hampering business operations in the coming years. Subsidies are available for this, so the entrepreneur does not have to pay all the costs himself."
