The road transport sector is facing an acute shortage of bus, coach, and truck drivers worldwide. For the East African region, that scarcity could lead to slow trade, or brain drain of drivers heading for greener pastures.

New data shows that over 50 percent of operators have significant difficulties hiring skilled drivers with more than 3.6 million truck driver positions unfilled globally, according to a report by the International Road Transport Union (IRU), a collective body representing road transport and logistics organisations across the world.

It shows that professional driver shortages have exceeded all previous readings, with roughly 2.9 million vacant truck driver positions across 18 major markets.

This, it warns, is a permanent structural crisis rather than a temporary economic cycle, driven by an aging workforce, barriers to entry, and poor working conditions.“The drivers who staff the European road freight fleet, the regional bus network and the cross-border coach tour are not merely scarce,” the Global Driver Shortage report 2025 released on June 30 says.“The pipeline meant to replace them is too narrow, and the working conditions no longer match what younger entrants expect from a profession.”As such, trucking companies are facing severe difficulties in recruiting drivers, including young people and women. This is partly because the jobs may not pay well or be attractive, and partly because societies just can’t accept the idea of women driving thousands of kilometres to deliver imports.

Drivers under 25 years old make up just 6.5 percent of the total driver workforce. In contrast, nearly a third of drivers are over 55 years old.

In all countries, women represent less than 7 percent of truck drivers.

Over the next five years, over 3.4 million truck drivers are projected to retire.

This warning could have a direct impact on the East African region, where the transport of oil, food and other cargo by road is essential for the functioning of the economy. In Kenya, a business association of road transporters has criticised the recent trend of cutting out 'turnboys' in order to save costs. The association viewed turnboys as a form of apprenticeship, preparing future drivers along the Northern Corridor.“Driver shortage is going to happen and it will be bigger in the east African region,” said Newton Wangoo, the Chairman of the Kenya Transporters Association (KTA).“In the last 10 years, some transporters stopped employing turnboys. The turnboys used to be like a pipeline of how to get a new driver.”Turnboys are highly valued in logistical and distribution operations across Nairobi and Mombasa as they act as assistants to drivers, loading and unloading cargo, guiding the driver in tight spaces, and ensuring security for the truck and its goods during transit or deliveries.“Someone used to leave school and become a turnboy; learn how to drive the same vehicle with the official driver, mostly illegally; get a licence; and then become a driver. That is no longer the case today. I can say that over 90 percent of all transporters do not have turnboys,” said Wangoo.“The current drivers are getting old and they are not being replaced.”The association says the shortage is also caused by the poor remuneration of drivers, who are categorised as unskilled workers in Kenya's employment sector.“Pay a driver a salary above minimum wages (above Ksh50,000, $386.82) excluding allowances, so that driving becomes a very lucrative deal. Reintroduce driving schools that also offer internships,” he said.

The IRU report also indicates that bus and coach driver shortages are growing.

From 2022 to 2023, the number of unfilled bus and coach driver positions increased by 54 percent in Europe.

The profession also has an ageing population: less than 3 percent of bus and coach drivers in Europe are below 25 years old, while more than 40 percent are over 55.

Additionally, only 16 percent of bus and coach drivers are women in Europe, below both the overall transport industry (22 percent) and working population (46 percent) average,” the report reads in part.“Without significant action, Europe could have more than 275,000 unfilled bus and coach driver positions by 2028.”The IRU emphasises that the crisis cannot be solved by recruitment campaigns alone.“The global body is urging governments and industry stakeholders to improve the quality of the job, lower entry barriers, enhance roadside facilities, and reform training and international hiring pathways,” the IRU report proposes in its recommendation.“Action is needed to make the profession more accessible and more attractive, particularly for young people and women.”The accessibility of the profession can be improved by lowering the cost of obtaining a driving licence and the required professional qualification.

The profession's appeal can be enhanced by building safer, more secure and better-equipped parking and rest areas; improving the treatment of drivers at delivery sites and depots; and enhancing the profession’s image and career potential, particularly among students.

According to the KTA, provision of security to truck drivers from Kenya to Uganda and into the DRC should be a priority as well as reducing long waiting times at the border to attract more truck drivers.

According to the Kenya National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) and nationwide data reported in the 2026 Economic Survey, there are over 5.6 million licensed drivers in Kenya.

However, official databases have historically logged a broader universe of up to 12 million individuals who have interacted with driver licensing platforms (like eCitizen) over the years, reflecting the massive popularity of Boda-Bodas (motorcycles) and light motor vehicles.

Only recently, Kenya’s National Transport and Safety Authority boss said his organisation was not aware of the total number of vehicles on Kenyan roads as there is little data on how many vehicles have since been grounded or deregistered.“As we speak, we do not know the number of vehicles on our roads,” said NTSA Director-General Nashon Kondiwa.

Uganda's total motor vehicle fleet is estimated to be around 2.3 million vehicles, according to the latest nationwide baseline statistics from the Ministry of Works and Transport.

Motorcycles (boda-bodas) make up a significant portion of registered units in the country, estimated to exceed 1 million units in recent baseline studies of Sustainable Mobility.

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