A large consumer employer condemns the lack of 20,000 carriers in Spain

The Association of Manufacturers and Distributors (Aecoc) condemned it There is a shortage of 20,000 truck drivers in Spain and warned that 70% of the current ones are over 50 years old.

In addition, the person in charge of transport at Aecoc, Javier Jaso, recalled that data from the International Road Transport Organization (IRU) show that in the world There is a shortage of 2.6 million drivers and that the average age of professionals in Europe is 47 years.

For his part, IE university professor Jorge Pena attributed the shortage of drivers to the growth of long-distance transport (less attractive for drivers), the aging of professionals, the deterioration of working conditions and the “fragmentation” of the sector, as 80% of companies have fewer than 25 employees.

As the report reveals Understanding the gap between supply and demand for truck drivers in Spain, led by Pena, carriers support more efficient working hours, more weekend shifts and more night shifts than other professionals in similar income sectors, such as construction or commercial. “In the current conditions, the demand for drivers could increase by 20% in the next few years, while the offer would be reduced by 12 percent”, warned the professor of IE University.

Companies are looking for “appreciation of the profession”

Companies in the Spanish transport sector called for the appreciation of their professionals, for improving the balance between work and private life and for commitment to training plans developed in collaboration with management.

This was stated by the executive director of Molinero Logística, Javier Jiménez, who also expressed regret that attempts to create dual modules of vocational training with the administration did not succeed.

For his part, the president of Noriega Grupo Logístico, José Noriega, criticized that every time “There is less incentive for a person to engage in a profession”noting that the obligation to have two licenses to drive a truck “requires an investment that implies a great effort for each person”.

Both Noriega and Jiménez positioned themselves in favor of moving the retirement age of carriers to 60 yearsalthough they pointed out that this would make it even more necessary to attract new drivers to take over.

As for the companies that use the transport, Mahou-San Miguel director of logistics operations, Julio de Pazo, warned that the lack of drivers could strain the supply chain and asked that the increase in driver wages does not translate into price increases.