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Australia truck driver shortage worsens amid aging workforce
Australia is facing a worsening truck driver shortage, with unfilled positions rising from 10 per cent in 2024 to 12 per cent in 2025, according to the International Road Transport Union’s (IRU) Global Driver Shortage Report.
The crisis is driven by an aging workforce, rising operating costs, and increasing freight demand. Australia possesses the oldest truck driver workforce of any market surveyed, with an average age of 51. Approximately 45 per cent of drivers are over 55, while only 6 per cent are under 25. NatRoad estimates that over 43,000 drivers, or roughly 24 per cent of the current workforce, are expected to retire by 2030.
Notably, Australia is the only surveyed country where transport operators identified operating costs (42 per cent) as a greater business concern than driver shortages (32 per cent). NatRoad CEO Warren Clark noted that rising fuel, labor, and compliance costs make it difficult for businesses to invest in recruiting and training new drivers. Additionally, women represent only 9 per cent of the workforce, a figure Clark suggests could be improved by addressing inadequate facilities and rest area infrastructure.
Entities
Australia · International Road Transport Union · National Road Transport Association · Warren Clark
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [● 2 SOURCES] Women account for only 9 per cent of the Australian truck driver workforce. www.ownerdriver.com.au · bigrigs.com.au
- [● 3 SOURCES] Australia has the oldest truck driver workforce among surveyed markets, with an average age of 51. www.ownerdriver.com.au · bigrigs.com.au
- [● 3 SOURCES] Australia is the only surveyed market where more transport operators identified operating costs (42 per cent) as their primary concern than driver shortages (32 per cent). www.ownerdriver.com.au · bigrigs.com.au
- [● 3 SOURCES] More than 43,000 Australian truck drivers, representing roughly 24 per cent of the workforce, are expected to retire by 2030. www.ownerdriver.com.au · bigrigs.com.au
- [● 3 SOURCES] Approximately 45 per cent of Australian truck drivers are over the age of 55, while only 6 per cent are under 25. www.ownerdriver.com.au · bigrigs.com.au
- [○ 1 SOURCE] 48 per cent of Australian trucking businesses report severe or very severe difficulty in filling driver positions.
- [● 3 SOURCES] The truck driver shortage in Australia increased from 10 per cent in 2024 to 12 per cent in 2025. www.ownerdriver.com.au · bigrigs.com.au