The driver shortage has been discussed for years. What has changed is the quality of the data behind it, and what that data suggests about where fleet managers can realistically make a difference.
Fleet Management Weekly’s 2026 industry outlook ranks driver loyalty and training among the top priorities for fleet operators this year, alongside electrification and cost control. The ranking reflects a demographic problem that is now well documented.
According to the IRU’s European driver shortage report, the EU, Norway and the UK are collectively short of over 233,000 truck drivers. That figure is projected to exceed 745,000 by 2028 as retirements outpace recruitment. The age profile explains why: one third of European truck drivers are over 55 and expected to retire within the next decade. Fewer than 5% are under 25.
Compensation is necessary but not sufficient
The IRU found that over half of European operators have responded with performance rewards or salary increases. Average gross salaries for truck drivers in Europe are already 55% above the national minimum wage. In the Netherlands, the figure reaches 133%.
Yet half of European trucking companies still report they cannot expand due to workforce constraints. That gap between pay increases and retention outcomes suggests other factors are involved.
Where the data points
The same IRU research found that 44% of operators are investing in better vehicles as a retention measure, while 25% are focused on upskilling opportunities. Fleet Management Weekly notes that the managers seeing results tend to combine scheduling flexibility with technology that reduces friction in the working day.
The pattern across recent industry research is consistent: retention correlates with how organised the operation feels from the driver’s perspective. Administrative burden, communication overhead, and time spent on tasks that could be automated all feature in workforce surveys as sources of dissatisfaction.
A digital driver journal is one example of where automation can reduce manual work. When trip logging happens automatically and records meet tax authority requirements without additional input, that is time returned to the driver. The same logic applies to real-time position data reducing the need for check-in calls, or to compliance reporting that does not require separate evening admin.
What this means for 2026
The structural shortage is unlikely to reverse quickly. The IRU projects continued tightening through 2028. For fleet managers, the question is less about solving the shortage and more about reducing exposure to it: retaining experienced drivers longer, and making the role attractive enough to compete for the limited pool of new entrants.
The operators who can reduce daily friction without adding surveillance are better positioned. The data suggests this is where the leverage is.
Related reading: The 2026 Tachograph Deadline: What Light Van Fleets Need to Do Now
If driver retention is a priority for your fleet, book a demo and we can walk you through how GSFleet’s tools address the admin burden.
