Tushar Prabhune, Parag Dave & Niyati Parikh | TNN
Reasons why drivers don’t want to take the wheel
For anyone unfamiliar with Kutch, the scene is hard to believe. A teenager, barely 17, casually climbs into a truck, starts the engine and drives off to deliver goods. The destination may be only a short distance away, but the risks are enormous—not just for the youngster behind the wheel, but also for hundreds of unsuspecting road users.Such scenes underscore a growing crisis confronting industries and logistics companies in Gujarat and across India: an acute shortage of truck drivers. The concern is no longer about skilled or unskilled drivers—it is about finding drivers, if at all.The logistics sector is expanding rapidly, fuelled by manufacturing, e-commerce and infrastructure growth. But transporters are grappling with a fundamental question: Who will drive the vehicles that keep the country’s economy moving?Industry estimates suggest India’s truck-to-driver ratio has fallen to around 55:100. The country has nearly 60 lakh active trucks but only about 36 lakh drivers.More than a decade ago, the Western India Automobile Association (WIAA), the 107-year-old motoring body, proposed setting up a dedicated driver training institute at Ratnal in Kutch. The proposal never took off due to lack of govt support despite Kutch accounting for nearly 30% of the country’s diesel consumption because it houses the major ports of Mundra and Kandla.“Training drivers for different categories of commercial vehicles and restoring dignity to the profession is essential,” said Nitin Dossa, executive chairman of WIAA. “Driver salaries in some domestic segments start at around Rs 15,000, while trained drivers can earn significantly more. Women can also be trained for this job.”The shortage is already affecting fleet utilisation. According to Mukesh Dave, president of the Akhil Gujarat Truck Transporters’ Association (AGTTA), 20-25% of Gujarat’s commercial vehicle fleet of 13-14 lakh vehicles remains off the road because of the lack of drivers.“As the number of commercial vehicles has increased, fewer youngsters are choosing driving as a profession. The shortage is more severe among large fleet operators, while owner-driven smaller vehicles are relatively less affected,” Dave said.Navghan Ahir, president of the Shree Kutch Jilla Truck Owners’ Association, said Kutch operators traditionally depended on drivers from Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Rajasthan, but that supply has steadily declined.“Those states now offer more employment opportunities and agriculture has become more remunerative. Many people no longer want to take up a risky profession like truck driving,” he said.Driver availability also varies across regions. However, the shift towards higher-capacity trucks has helped transporters partly offset the shortage. With 10-tonne, 14-tonne and 28-tonne trucks becoming more common, operators can move larger loads with fewer vehicles and drivers.“The increase in vehicle capacity has helped considerably. Otherwise, the impact of the driver shortage could have been as high as 40-50%,” Dave said.Even so, a fleet owner with 100 trucks may have 10-20 vehicles lying idle simply because drivers are unavailable. Apart from reducing utilisation, this limits transport capacity during periods of high freight demand.Transporters say the shortage has become an asset utilisation issue as well. Commercial vehicles involve significant capital investment, and every idle truck adds to operating costs.Changing driver preferences are adding to the challenge. Drivers increasingly prefer newer trucks because they are more reliable, have fewer breakdowns and offer better working conditions. As a result, transport companies often deploy new vehicles first to attract and retain drivers, while older trucks remain parked, affecting fleet utilisation and delivery schedules.Sunil Bhatt, president of the Dahej Industries Association, said the solution lies in professionalising the occupation.“Like fitter and turner courses in ITIs, we need certified driver training courses of three to six months. Certification will improve skills, responsibility and the profession’s image, attracting educated youth. Govt and industry must work together to make driving a respected career,” he said.Easy finance helps drivers become entrepreneursEasy vehicle finance is reshaping the transport sector, with more drivers leaving salaried jobs to become owner-operators. Faster loan approvals and flexible repayment options are enabling experienced drivers to buy their first commercial vehicle and start independent businesses.The trend is most visible in the small commercial vehicle segment, driven by rising demand for last-mile and intra-city transport. Many owner-drivers now cater to city routes as well as industrial demand in GIDC areas. Fleet operators say the growing number of owner-drivers has intensified competition and made it harder to hire and retain drivers.Increasing cost burden for industriesThe driver shortage has also increased transport costs for industries already grappling with rising prices of raw materials. MSME manufacturers say delayed movement of both raw materials and finished goods is disrupting production schedules and straining cash flows.With fewer drivers available, freight rates have climbed while dispatch cycles have extended.Manufacturers say delayed supplies force them to reschedule shifts or operate below capacity. Delays in dispatching finished products have also affected customer commitments, increasing the risk of penalties, lost orders and higher warehousing costs.Apurva Shah, vice-president of the Gujarat Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI), said changing route preferences among drivers are affecting long-haul movement.“The number of drivers willing to take longer routes is falling, resulting in delays in deliveries,” he said.He added that buyers are also changing sourcing patterns to minimise logistics risks. “A buyer in Keralam or West Bengal worries about timely delivery and therefore prefers sourcing from nearby states,” Shah said. Manoj Anandpura, director of Anand Petrochem in Bharuch, said increasing demand for drivers in northern states has further worsened the situation.“Many non-Gujarati drivers have moved back to states like Uttar Pradesh and Bihar due to better opportunities there. At the same time, Gujaratis are reluctant to take up driving because it involves long days away from home. As a result, we are often forced to delay dispatches,” he said. “Driver shortages disrupt delivery schedules and delay exports. Rail transport can be a strong alternative, provided it delivers efficient end-to-end logistics,” said Alpesh Patel, CMD, Knack Packaging Ltd.
What the industry has to say
—With inputs from Vishal Patadiya