Polish truck drivers, once the backbone of European road transport, are becoming harder to recruit, with EU vacancies doubling to 502,000 in 2025 – 13% of the workforce needed. The gap is set to widen as 660,500 drivers are expected to retire by 2030.

Extrego raised salaries for 150 drivers by 15% in June to retain staff, yet it still faces a shortage of about 20 drivers this summer, highlighting the challenge in a country with one of the EU’s lowest unemployment rates. Chief executive Wojciech Brzykowski says the younger generation avoids long-haul routes, citing security threats – 79% of drivers report threats while parked – and increasing regulation.

The freight sector is highly fragmented; 79% of companies have fewer than 10 employees, making it difficult to absorb higher costs. EU border controls, tachograph rules and mandatory training add to the burden, while Net Trade’s Radovan Ižold struggled to hire a foreign driver from India, a process that took four months and added paperwork costs.

Women represent only 4% of truck drivers, deterred by safety risks, and while automation offers hope, experts say it is still 10+ years away.