We are all too familiar with the weekly ritual of grocery shopping.

Whether it's a trip to Coles, Woolworths, or ALDI, we rely on these stores to keep our pantries stocked and our fridges full.

However, an alarming situation could affect how we shop and what we find on the shelves in the coming months.

The heart of the issue lies in the driver's seat of delivery trucks.

Australia is facing a significant shortage of truck drivers, effectively threatening national supply chains.

According to the National Road Transport Association, Australia needs 26,000 new drivers to address the predicament.

The trucking industry has been dominated by an older demographic, with a small number of new drivers joining in. Image Credit: Pexels/Quintin Gellar

With New South Wales road freight requirements expected to surge by 57 per cent by 2040, the trucking industry called for national action to keep the industry afloat.

The lack of drivers could be a potential crisis for our national economy.

With supply chains being the backbone of many businesses, the entire system could collapse without enough drivers.

The trucking industry has been grappling with an ageing workforce.

According to an International Road Transport Union survey, nearly half of the truck drivers are over 55 years old.

As these drivers approach retirement, the industry struggles to onboard new drivers to take the wheel.

Only 5.3 per cent of truck drivers are under 25, and a mere 6.5 per cent of these drivers are female.

To steer the industry back into its course, trucking companies started offering incentives to make trucking an appealing career choice for the new workforce members.

The possible incentives could include:

• Funding for training programs.
• Clearer pathways into the trucking profession.
• Access to apprenticeships.
• Improving overall work conditions.

As the trucking industry faces this predicament, shoppers should be prepared for potential changes in shopping habits.

It could be time to support local stores and consider alternative sources for our groceries, such as farmers' markets or community agriculture programs.

In the meantime, let's show our appreciation for the truck drivers who keep our shelves stocked.

Without them, our weekly shopping trips would look very different.

Key Takeaways

• Australian shoppers could face empty supermarket shelves due to a shortage of truck drivers affecting supply chains.
• Australia needs about 26,000 more truck drivers across all types of businesses in the trucking industry.
• The National Road Transport Association called for national cabinet action as the driver shortage could cause a crisis for the economy.
• The trucking industry continues to face a huge age gap, and revamping the trucking industry's incentives could entice younger workers to consider trucking.

Have you noticed any changes in stock levels during your shopping trips? Share your thoughts and opinions with us in the comments below.

 

[Sherza]

Its not only truck drivers, it’s the same with Bus Drivers and the industry was told over 20 years ago that this was going to happen but they ignored us and now here we are.
The industry needs to be turned upside down and given a bloody good shake up because as it is now, they won’t get young drivers coming through. The main problem is the fact that most of the time, it’s only casual work so there’s no security, the hours are totally unsociable, then add to that the totally ridiculous fines they can face for simple mistakes in their log books and of course no one wants the job

 

[Tervueren]

How should we show our appreciation to the truck drivers?

 

[Tervueren]

I thought that they were really well paid? (truck drivers)

 

[Kez68]

I thought that they were really well paid? (truck drivers)

Without trucks the country stops.

 

[rick0651]

You will never find new drivers whilst road transport officers could fine you a weeks wages for trivial things

 

[Sherza]

I thought that they were really well paid? (truck drivers)

Some are yes, but at the same time, when you consider what they give up to do the job, and the conditions they work under, they aren’t paid ver well at all

 

[Sherza]

You will never find new drivers whilst road transport officers could fine you a weeks wages for trivial things

Absolutely correct

 

[Robyn Rowe]

I thought that they were really well paid? (truck drivers)

LOL, we work hard for any money

 

[Robyn Rowe]

Absolutely correct

As an interstate driver l couldn't agree more

 

[harrywwc]

Its not only truck drivers, it’s the same with Bus Drivers and the industry was told over 20 years ago that this was going to happen but they ignored us and now here we are.
The industry needs to be turned upside down and given a bloody good shake up because as it is now, they won’t get young drivers coming through. The main problem is the fact that most of the time, it’s only casual work so there’s no security, the hours are totally unsociable, then add to that the totally ridiculous fines they can face for simple mistakes in their log books and of course no one wants the job

I was a professional driver in a 'past life'
It was eye-opening when I was driving for the NSW PTC (as it was back then) to celebrate the retirement of a older driver, and then 12 months or so later, be informed of his funeral.
Driving a heavy vehicle is stressful - not just the pressures of keeping a timetable (even the long-distance drivers are required to be somewhere at a specific-ish time), but dealing with all the other drivers on the road who are just aware that while they may be able to stop their 1.5 tonne car in 50m or 60m, it takes a *lot* longer for a bus or truck to come to a stop.
and all the numpties that try to cut down the inside when you turn left from wide, and then bitch that you scratched their car...
it's no wonder that no-one wants to drive these vehicles anymore. I'm not saying it's "all bad" - I drove for a small private bus firm in south-west Sydney, and the pax were (almost) all great!
but yeah, it's one job I don't regret leaving.

 

[Robyn Rowe]

We also need some serious car driver education regarding behaviour around trucks, mentally this is an exhaustive job, constantly monitoring driver stupidity directly in front of us, P platers have very little concept of acceptable behaviour, this new 'brake checking' act is extremely dangerous and needs to be urgently addressed.
Most public do not realise we have 2 lots of dashcam in every vehicle.
$3000 fine for a quarter hr log book mistake is s a heinous amount of money to fined, no car driver would cop this for ANYTHING, much more than a week's wages for any of us.
Unfortunately I have seen some very unexceptable driving from professional colleagues also.

 

[Nellie17]

I have a friend that is an interstate driver and on several occasions has done empty loads from Brisbane or Sydney back to Melbourne. So if they are running empty loads why is there a shortage of drivers

 

[Robyn Rowe]

I have a friend that is an interstate driver and on several occasions has done empty loads from Brisbane or Sydney back to Melbourne. So if they are running empty loads why is there a shortage of drivers

Empty loads is because trailers need to be returned to the owners to be reloaded, there is a shortage of trailers in the industry also. At $250,000 for a new set of taut liners and much more for pan tech refrigeration units it not cheap, these are b double prices

 

[Sherza]

I was a professional driver in a 'past life'
It was eye-opening when I was driving for the NSW PTC (as it was back then) to celebrate the retirement of a older driver, and then 12 months or so later, be informed of his funeral.
Driving a heavy vehicle is stressful - not just the pressures of keeping a timetable (even the long-distance drivers are required to be somewhere at a specific-ish time), but dealing with all the other drivers on the road who are just aware that while they may be able to stop their 1.5 tonne car in 50m or 60m, it takes a *lot* longer for a bus or truck to come to a stop.
and all the numpties that try to cut down the inside when you turn left from wide, and then bitch that you scratched their car...
it's no wonder that no-one wants to drive these vehicles anymore. I'm not saying it's "all bad" - I drove for a small private bus firm in south-west Sydney, and the pax were (almost) all great!
but yeah, it's one job I don't regret leaving.

Absolutely correct. People have no idea what the bus and truck drivers have to put up with out ther.
I’ve been driving buses and now coaches, for the last 41 years, and am have “retired” 4 times now. Because of the driver shortage, those of us who have retired, get called back to cover runs all the time.
The behavior of motor is getting worse every year. I’m not going to renew my Drivers Authority again to ensure they can’t talk me into going back
Inhave really enjoyed the actual job and still do, but the rules and regulations are just absolute nonsense, and the behaviour of motorists are making it less enjoyable, and I’m now starting to worry about the number of accidents caused by said idiots out there. I have a clean record and want to keep it that way.

 

[Ziggy]

As always our government is bringing yoga teachers and dog groomers instead of more practical and needed occupations. We can only congratulate ourselves on the choices we are making on election days..

 

[Jefron]

Yes, some drivers are well paid, but it depends on the type of transport they are involved in. Specialised transport is considered as tankers for petrol and DG's, refrigerated pans and tautliners and time sensitive freight.
However, the general freight drivers are the worst paid.
People need to remember, every time drivers in a particular sector get a pay rise, that money has to be recouped from somewhere. That somewhere, is the community. The consumer. Then, the consumer has to pay more at the checkout. So the consumer needs to get a pay rise, due to having to pay out more from their pay check. That consumer might be a transport driver. The transport company has to increase rates to pay for pay rises. It's just a vicious, continuos circle of rate rises, freight cost increases and the high cost of operating a transport company.
Where does it all end? How does it all stop? There must come a time of "balance" where costs and expenditure have reached a point where one meets the other.
Or do we go back to the days of strikes, at the drop of the hat?
"Si vis pacem, para bellum"

 

[Jo Piper3]

Thought you were referring to eggs.

 

[Annna]

Its not only truck drivers, it’s the same with Bus Drivers and the industry was told over 20 years ago that this was going to happen but they ignored us and now here we are.
The industry needs to be turned upside down and given a bloody good shake up because as it is now, they won’t get young drivers coming through. The main problem is the fact that most of the time, it’s only casual work so there’s no security, the hours are totally unsociable, then add to that the totally ridiculous fines they can face for simple mistakes in their log books and of course no one wants the job

So, the companies that employ these drivers are cutting their own throats?

Smart.

 

[IanB.]

Yep; we need to put more Aussie bums in seats instead hiring from overseas and from a very different driving cultures to Australia -- can causes all sorts dramas you would call bad truck driving.
These days it's a good clean job for the girls (who many say are better operators) who don't want the "normal'' girl jobs. Money can be very very good in some trucks that are easy to drive and many with automatic gear changing , power steering , air-con .
Need a change? Check it out folks. I basically saw more of Australia from high up in truck seats than most tourist will ever see ---- and some places they don't want to see