Depending on which source you rely on, there are 15,000 or 20,000, but either way, one thing is certain: there is a shortage of hauliers. Transport companies in Italy, as well as across Europe, are experiencing serious difficulty. They are struggling to manage shifts, holidays and deliveries and, above all, increasingly risk having their trucks simply docked in the warehouse because there is no one to drive them. A problem that threatens to overwhelm all areas of production as well as the entire distribution chain, given that over 80% of goods in Italy are transported by road.

Since conscription was scrapped in Italy, there has been a lack of training opportunities, but most of all there is increasing scepticism when it comes to taking up a profession that is often viewed with prejudice and preconceptions. And now, even the cushion used in recent years - hiring drivers from abroad, particularly from Eastern Europe - is no longer viable, as more and more are returning to their home countries, where the economy is taking off again.

What should be done? The entire industry - from manufacturers to hauliers and industry associations - is asking this question, and Transpotec Logitec wanted to offer a clear signal: we cannot solve the problem alone, but talking about it and making a small contribution can help shine a light on the urgent matter that must also be addressed at an institutional level.

That is why over the past few months Transpotec Logitec has been collaborating with the television programme “Next to the Truckers” to identify 14 future drivers who will receive a certificate of enrolment in the Transpotec Truckers School at the exhibition.

Thanks to help from Clarios Italia, LC3, Multitracks, Next to the Truckers, Rossi and Volvo Trucks Italia, who supported the initiative, aspiring drivers will be able to access the driving school to get their C and E licences and the CPC, and, furthermore, once they have been certified, they will be offered employment by project’s partner companies.

A practical initiative that is also symbolic, aiming to raise awareness of the serious issue of generational turnover and show profession in a different light, beyond the clichés that often follow the image of the trucker.

On January the 28th, during the exhibition, the 14 candidates will be presented and will receive their certificate of enrolment: the event will be held at Fiera Milano in Sala Leonardo (pav. 24) at 14:00.