NatRoad is calling for a coordinated national response to fill truck driving positions and better support for national truck driver training, warning workforce shortages across the nation are accelerating.
The call comes just days after industry leaders gathered at NatRoad Connect 26 on the Gold Coast to discuss the growing truck driver shortage and the action needed to secure Australia’s future road freight workforce.
NatRoad CEO Warren Clark said Australia needed to treat the driver shortage as a national supply chain priority, rather than an issue isolated to the trucking industry.
“Every Australian relies on truck drivers, whether they realise it or not. They’re the people making sure there’s food in our supermarkets, medicine in our pharmacies and fuel at our service stations,” Mr Clark said.
“Almost a quarter of our drivers are approaching retirement. We’ve got tens of thousands of truck drivers set to retire by 2030, while rising operating costs and compliance burdens are making it even harder for road transport operators to stay in business, let alone to train and retain the next generation.
“We need a serious plan to build up the workforce with consistently trained and accredited drivers, before the pressure on our freight network becomes even greater.”
Research from the International Road Transport Union (IRU) released in July found almost one in four (24 per cent) Australian truck drivers is expected to retire within the next five years – equivalent to almost 43,000 jobs.
Mr Clark said better coordination between state governments, training providers and industry was essential to creating clear career pathways and ensuring new drivers were properly prepared for the demands of the job.
“Truck driving is a skilled profession, and getting a licence should be the beginning of someone’s professional development, not the end of it,” he said.
“We need consistent, high-quality practical training across Australia, with clear pathways for younger people, women and those looking to change careers. Truck driving is a great job and we want to get more people into it.
“There is an enormous amount of knowledge sitting with experienced drivers. We need to create opportunities to pass on those skills, or we will risk losing the expertise that has taken decades to build.
“There’s no single solution, but there needs to be a coordinated national effort. The cost of getting this wrong will ultimately be felt by Australian businesses and households.”
Mr Clark asked Australian road transport operators to participate in the 2026 IRU Driver Shortage Survey, which is being promoted nationally for the third year. He said the survey was the best possible chance for local operators to have their say and support the industry.
“We can keep talking about the driver shortage, but we also need the evidence to fix it,” Mr Clark said.
“We’re asking operators of every size to take ten minutes to complete this survey and help build a clearer picture of what’s happening on the ground.”
The 2026 IRU Driver Shortage Survey closes on 11 December 2026.
Complete the survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/T3STMGM
