The National Road Transport Association (NatRoad) is urging heavy vehicle operators to take part in the 2025 IRU Global Driver Shortage Survey to show the scale of Australia’s truck driver crisis and help NatRoad call for government action.
The annual Global Driver Shortage Survey is conducted by the International Road Transport Union (IRU) – the United Nations-affiliated body representing road transport. NatRoad partnered with IRU last year to include Australian operators in the survey for the first time in 2024.
NatRoad CEO Warren Clark said data gathered by the survey is critical to highlight the extent of the local crisis, developing solutions and advocating for reforms at all levels of government.
“This is a huge issue affecting road transport operators around the world, and it’s vital we continue to capture the situation in Australia and show the problem isn’t going away on its own.
“Participating in the 2025 survey will give us the evidence we need to push for change on behalf of Australia’s road transport industry, especially given Australia’s total domestic freight task is projected to grow by 26 percent by 2050,” Mr Clark said.
“Findings from the 2024 survey showed the stark reality of the problem we in the road transport industry have known about for a long time. I urge operators to take part in the 2025 survey to ensure the latest local information is included.”
Key data on the situation in Australia captured in the 2024 survey included:
- over 28,000 unfilled driver positions, a figure projected to reach 78,000 by 2029
- nearly half (49%) of Australian trucking businesses experienced severe or very severe difficulty filling driver positions
- close to half (47%) of all Australian drivers are now over the age of 55, and only 5.2% of the driver workforce is under 25, and
- just 6.5% of truck drivers in Australia are women, despite women making up almost half (48%) of Australia’s working population.
“The future of Australia’s road freight industry depends on our ability to address this crisis and continue to produce safe, skilled and professional truck drivers, while also providing an attractive and rewarding career path for young people wanting to be part of the industry,” Mr Clark said.
The 2025 IRU Driver Shortage Survey can be accessed here and is open until 30 September 2025.
Media contact
Richard Garfield
PR & Communications Manager, NatRoad
[email protected]
