Drivers carrying weapons into Ukraine exacerbates the shortage of European truck drivers

Air cargo trucking services could also be affected as Ukrainian drivers head to the warfront, Niall van de Woo, managing director of Clive Data Services, a Xenata company, said last week in a monthly report on the air cargo sector.

“It is still too early to know whether this specific factor will have any impact on supply chains in Europe. However, the war itself has already disrupted the long shipping routes that pass through and near Ukraine and to and from Russia. “It is certainly true,” Kidd said. “All this together will have an impact on European supply chains in the coming weeks and months, including seaports.”

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba told CNN on Sunday that 20,000 Ukrainian citizens around the world, from all walks of life, have returned to their homeland to join the army.

Roman Nickel, director of ground transportation at Cargo Partner, a logistics company based in Vienna, said the driver shortage in Europe is likely to be exacerbated by the Ukrainian crisis.

“There is a shortage of refurbished engines on the market, so the year-on-year gap is getting wider due to administrative and legislative barriers and additional infrastructure for carriers. Therefore, the supply chain remains under constant pressure.

The UK Road Drivers Association said last September that the UK had a shortage of 100,000 drivers. Part of the problem was the cancellation of 40,000 commercial driver’s license tests due to the coronavirus. Before the pandemic, there were 60,000 fewer drivers than required. Experts list Brexit (which has limited access to European workers), low wages and changing working rules as reasons workers are losing out on the profession.

Stranded truck drivers

Meanwhile, authorities in Ukraine, as well as countries in Eurasia, are detaining thousands of drivers of many nationalities, their vehicles and their goods, as they attempt to return to their countries of origin, according to the International Road Transport Union.

“It is difficult to obtain specific figures, but based on requests received by the IRU, we estimate that between 4,000 and 5,000 drivers remain stranded in Ukraine,” the global road transport organization said on Friday.

Crossing the border has become more difficult since the invasion due to changes in customs procedures, issues of nationality, vehicle registration and the origin of the shipment. The union, which represents the interests of bus, coach, taxi and truck operators, said it was also receiving reports of unjustified arrests and seizures of goods and vehicles.

Most of the drivers were making routine deliveries in Ukraine when the crisis broke out in late February. In many cases, their shipments are destined for European countries, which are now providing humanitarian assistance to Ukraine, the International Road Transport Union said.

The closure of Ukraine’s border with Belarus also forced many drivers to change their route. Some drivers, fearing they would come under fire between the Russian and Ukrainian armies, reportedly abandoned their cars in the early stages of the invasion.

The International Road Transport Union reported a few days after the war began that at least 600 Turkish truck drivers were stuck in Ukraine and Russia trying to return home. Vehicle ferries crossing the Black Sea from Ukraine to Turkey have been returned or cancelled, forcing drivers to return via the European Union. Turkish drivers are also stranded in Russia, with those trying to return via Georgia facing delays of between seven and ten days at the Russian border.

“It is understood that the situation at many border crossings in Ukraine is chaotic. However, it is unclear why Ukrainian customs authorities refuse to complete the necessary formalities for a large number of trucks and drivers, especially in areas far from military conflict.

It asked the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry on Friday to help remove any administrative obstacles and prioritize helping truck drivers return home with their loads.

The Transport Association recommends that transport companies contact the International Road Transport Association of Ukraine for assistance. The Trucking Association will contact the Ukrainian military to assist in the release of the company’s drivers and their vehicles. Truck drivers are asked to provide as much information as possible, such as the border crossing point or city where the truck stopped, the driver’s name as listed on their passport and details about the shipment.

The IRU also urged authorities across Europe to temporarily waive visa and permit requirements, or quickly introduce transit visas for commercial drivers of all nationalities trying to return home via alternative routes. It also called for temporary exemption from driving rules and rest or working time for returning drivers, if necessary, and provision of humanitarian facilities for stranded drivers who face security threat and lack of adequate food, water and sanitation facilities.

Logistics lend a helping hand

Logistics and trucking companies across Europe have sprung into action to provide humanitarian aid to Ukraine and countries accepting refugees.