How is the truck driver shortage crisis affecting countries in Europe? An investigation by El Confidencial and HotNews

Friday, Apr 19, 2024

HotNews

European logistics face a severe driver shortage, worsened by war and poor working conditions for truckers.

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[This is an automatically generated summary, for reference only]

Europe faces an unprecedented logistics crisis in transport, severely worsened by the war in Ukraine, which has resulted in a shortage of 166,000 truck drivers from Ukraine, Belarus, and Russia over the last two years against a need for 745,000 drivers. Trucking is crucial to European supply chains, with over 77% of freight transported by road. Drivers are experiencing high pressure due to these shortages, which affect their daily lives at border crossings like Giurgiu-Ruse. The shortage is exacerbated by low participation from young people and women in the profession, as well as poor working conditions. Salaries vary significantly across countries, with some drivers earning between 2,700 and 2,800 euros monthly. Deficits are also noted in Eastern European countries like Bulgaria and Czechia due to workers seeking higher wages elsewhere. The war has further impacted the shortage by causing many Ukrainian drivers to leave their jobs.

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