Mexico’s trucking business is dealing with a rising driver scarcity, with 14% of economic driver positions sitting vacant as fleet operators battle to recruit new staff, in keeping with a brand new survey by the Worldwide Highway Transport Union (IRU).
The 14% emptiness charge is the second highest among the many 18 markets surveyed, trailing solely Uzbekistan at 15%, and exceeds the worldwide common emptiness charge of 11%.
The findings spotlight mounting workforce pressures in a rustic that depends closely on trucking to maneuver home freight and assist cross-border commerce with the U.S.
The report discovered that recruitment difficulties have worsened in almost each market since 2021, suggesting driver shortages have grow to be a structural subject fairly than one tied to freight cycles or financial slowdowns.
Geneva, Switzerland-based IRU is a worldwide transportation group with members in 75 international locations that represents the pursuits of bus, coach, taxi and truck operators.
In Mexico, IRU mentioned structural labor constraints and underdeveloped coaching pathways proceed to maintain emptiness charges elevated.
The survey discovered that 44% of Mexican trucking corporations ranked the motive force scarcity as their greatest operational problem, forward of considerations concerning the economic system, decarbonization and digitalization.
Associated: Cargo theft falls in Mexico, however assaults on truckers flip deadlier
Mexico’s Nationwide Chamber of Cargo Transportation estimates that roughly 90,000 vehicles are at the moment sitting idle as a result of carriers can not discover sufficient certified drivers. With out further workforce initiatives, that determine might climb above 108,000 vehicles by 2028, in keeping with business estimates cited within the report.
Trucking strikes about 81% of Mexico’s land cargo and 57% of its home freight, making driver availability vital to producers, retailers and exporters that depend upon street transportation.
International scarcity reaches 2.9 million drivers
Worldwide, IRU estimates there are roughly 2.9 million unfilled truck driver positions throughout 18 main freight markets, equal to 11% of the business’s workforce. Europe reported a 13% emptiness charge, whereas Australia stood at 12%, Brazil at 11% and China at 10%.
IRU Secretary Normal Umberto de Pretto mentioned the scarcity has advanced right into a structural downside affecting freight capability and provide chain reliability.
“Regardless of vital business efforts, the scarcity of drivers has deepened as a vital structural subject for the street transport business,” de Pretto mentioned in a assertion. “Driver recruitment is instantly affecting transport capability, enterprise development and provide chain reliability.”
Chart: IRU 2025 truck driver emptiness charges
| Market | Driver emptiness charge |
| Uzbekistan | 15% |
| Mexico | 14% |
| Europe | 13% |
| Australia | 12% |
| Brazil | 11% |
| International common | 11% |
| China |
The publish Mexico’s trucking labor crunch intensifies, IRU warns appeared first on BigRig.