Europe-wide shortage reshapes logistics labour strategies
Express Trailers, one of Malta’s largest logistics operators, has launched a Drivers Academy alongside a new Drivers Safety Manual as part of efforts to strengthen internal workforce development and road safety.
This initiative comes amid a persisting and deepening shortage of professional truck drivers across Europe.
Across Europe, the shortfall of qualified truck drivers is projected to reach around 400,000 this year, while globally more than 3.6 million positions remain unfilled, with a further 3.4 million drivers expected to retire by 2029.
Industry data underscores the scale of the challenge. Fewer than 5% of professional drivers in Europe are under 25, while the average age is approaching 50, raising concerns about long-term capacity in the sector. In some countries, including Poland, the share of drivers under 25 falls to just 3%.
It is against this demographic backdrop that logistics operators such as Express Trailers continue to face growing pressure to build more sustainable recruitment pipelines. This initiative in fact, reflects a broader industry shift towards internal training models as companies seek to reduce reliance on an increasingly constrained external labour pool.
The Drivers Academy aims to develop drivers from within the company’s existing workforce, with employees such as loading assistants encouraged to progress into driving roles. Training is delivered through structured mentoring by experienced drivers, focusing on practical skills including vehicle handling, load security, road awareness and risk management.
Last year, five employees began the qualification pathway, with a further two trainees identified this year.
“This is about taking what we already do well and making it structured, measurable and transferable,” explains Etienne Attard, CEO of Express Trailers.
“Safety and professionalism have always been defining qualities of our operation. We now want to formalise these qualities to ensure consistency and continuity.”
Attard explained that this programme also seeks to preserve institutional knowledge within the company with some of Express Trailers’ most experienced drivers mentoring newer recruits in operational practices refined over years on the road.
Complementing the Academy, Express Trailers also introduced a Drivers Safety Manual, published in Maltese and English and distributed across its local and international driver network.
The manual consolidates operational procedures and safety standards, covering areas such as daily vehicle checks, load handling and emergency response.
The company has further strengthened its safety governance by appointing a Health, Safety and Environmental Coordinator to oversee compliance, risk assessment and preventive measures.
Initiatives include a near-miss reporting system, enhanced inspection procedures and clearer protocols for high-risk tasks. Greater emphasis is also being placed on internal communication, encouraging employees to report hazards and raise concerns openly, in a cultural shift aimed at embedding safety into day-to-day operations.
“In our sector, the pressure to deliver faster, further and more efficiently keeps growing, and the quieter work of building a safety culture can seem less visible. However, investing in training and safety not only ensures operational continuity, but also the wellbeing of drivers and the wider public who share Malta’s roads,” said Mr Attard.
“There can be no compromise in how we operate. We either adhere to the highest standards, or we risk letting our reputation fade,” he concluded.
