Mexico’s trucking labor crunch intensifies, IRU warns

Mexico's trucking manufacture is facing a increasing operator shortage, with 14% of commercialized operator positions sitting vacant arsenic fleet operators conflict to enlistee caller workers, according to a caller survey by the International Road Transport Union (IRU).

The 14% vacancy complaint is the 2nd highest among the 18 markets surveyed, trailing lone Uzbekistan astatine 15%, and exceeds the planetary mean vacancy complaint of 11%. 

The findings item mounting workforce pressures successful a state that relies heavy connected trucking to determination home freight and enactment cross-border commercialized with the U.S.

The study recovered that recruitment difficulties person worsened successful astir each marketplace since 2021, suggesting operator shortages person go a structural contented alternatively than 1 tied to freight cycles oregon economical slowdowns. 

Geneva, Switzerland-based IRU is simply a planetary proscription enactment with members successful 75 countries that represents the interests of bus, coach, taxi and motortruck operators.

In Mexico, IRU said structural labour constraints and underdeveloped grooming pathways proceed to support vacancy rates elevated.

The survey recovered that 44% of Mexican trucking companies ranked the operator shortage arsenic their biggest operational challenge, up of concerns astir the economy, decarbonization and digitalization.

Mexico's National Chamber of Cargo Transportation estimates that astir 90,000 trucks are presently sitting idle due to the fact that carriers cannot find capable qualified drivers. Without further workforce initiatives, that fig could ascent supra 108,000 trucks by 2028, according to manufacture estimates cited successful the report.

Trucking moves astir 81% of Mexico's onshore cargo and 57% of its home freight, making operator availability captious to manufacturers, retailers and exporters that beryllium connected roadworthy transportation.

Worldwide, IRU estimates determination are astir 2.9 cardinal unfilled motortruck operator positions crossed 18 large freight markets, equivalent to 11% of the industry's workforce. (Courtesy: IRU)

Global shortage reaches 2.9 cardinal drivers

Worldwide, IRU estimates determination are astir 2.9 cardinal unfilled motortruck operator positions crossed 18 large freight markets, equivalent to 11% of the industry's workforce. Europe reported a 13% vacancy rate, portion Australia stood astatine 12%, Brazil astatine 11% and China astatine 10%.

IRU Secretary General Umberto de Pretto said the shortage has evolved into a structural occupation affecting freight capableness and proviso concatenation reliability.

"Despite important manufacture efforts, the shortage of drivers has deepened arsenic a captious structural contented for the roadworthy transport industry," de Pretto said successful a statement. "Driver recruitment is straight affecting transport capacity, concern maturation and proviso concatenation reliability."

Chart: IRU 2025 motortruck operator vacancy rates

MarketDriver vacancy rateMexico14%

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