THE INTERNATIONAL Road Transport Union, is calling on international organisations, governments and industry stakeholders to safeguard the role of road transport in driving economic prosperity, through the launch of its new manifesto, which lays out clear recommendations to tackle some of the biggest challenges facing road transport today, providing the sector with a strategic framework for continued growth and prosperity.
Road transport currently accounts for 5.7% of employment worldwide; in Europe alone it provides five million jobs and drives a total revenue of €500 billion. However, it is an industry facing myriad challenges, from geopolitical unrest and climate change concern to a chronic shortage of commercial drivers.
In Europe, roughly one in five driver positions is currently unfilled and levels of both women and younger employees remain extremely low. The industry is still lacking the basic infrastructure for drivers, such as safe and secure truck parking areas, stresses the IRU.
