Australia’s road freight industry, which moves about 75 per cent of goods nationwide, is struggling with a worsening shortage of truck drivers that is disrupting supply chains. The sector is already short more than 28,000 drivers, and industry estimates suggest the gap could widen to 78,000 by 2029 as older drivers retire, with nearly half of the workforce now over 55. Younger workers are barely entering the profession; just 5.2 per cent of drivers are under 25, put off by long hours on the road and the solitary nature of the job. Companies in construction, retail, and agriculture say the shortage is already causing delivery delays, pushing up costs, and slowing day-to-day operations. If training pathways, pay structures, and policy settings are not addressed quickly, the impact could spread through the economy, driving up consumer prices and weighing on productivity. Industry groups are now calling for urgent action, warning that road freight cannot afford to lose more drivers without serious consequences.
Ageing Drivers Dominate
Australia’s freight industry is running short of one thing it cannot move goods without: drivers. The average truck driver is now 47, and nearly half are approaching retirement. That reality is already being felt on the road, with fewer trucks in operation each year.
Large transport companies say the problem is growing harder to ignore. Almost half report serious difficulty hiring drivers, while young workers remain largely absent from the industry. Long-haul trips, night shifts, and safety concerns continue to turn school leavers away, a challenge that weighs most heavily on regional operators with limited local workforces.
Warren Clark, chief executive of NatRoad, warns that more than 28,000 driver roles now sit vacant, far higher than in comparable sectors. As older drivers retire and replacements fail to come through, the industry faces mounting delays unless new training and recruitment pathways are put in place soon.
Freight Disruptions Spread
Across Australia, the shortage of truck drivers is beginning to show up in everyday places. Construction projects are running behind schedule, supermarket shelves are thinner than planned, and some farm produce is never making it to market at all.
The impact stretches well beyond retail. Mining sites in remote areas have been forced to pause operations without reliable transport, while manufacturers are slowing assembly lines as parts are delayed. Each disruption adds cost, and those costs are increasingly passed on to consumers.
While the pandemic first exposed weaknesses in the system, industry figures point to ageing demographics as the deeper, longer-term problem. With a 14.4 per cent shortfall in drivers, well above broader labour market gaps, pressure is building. Supermarkets are already managing backlogs, and without more drivers on the road, Australia’s freight network risks becoming a bottleneck for large parts of the economy.
Urgent Fixes Proposed
Efforts to address the driver shortage increasingly focus on attracting younger workers through school-based traineeships and cadetships, backed by subsidised training and more flexible rostering. Operators are also introducing retention measures, including improved mental health support and higher wages, to reduce turnover.
At the same time, moves to standardise licensing aim to make entry into the industry simpler, while route-planning technology is being adopted to help manage fatigue. Recruitment strategies are expanding to include more women, migrants, and under-25s, supported by visa pathways accelerated through Jobs and Skills Australia. A national action plan, combined with industry-wide surveys, is guiding funding decisions and helping tailor reforms to rebuild the trucking workforce.
Check out more recent Australian news on Inspirepreneur Magazine.
