Driver shortage worries Wagga truckies Jason Larfield, Reggie Sutton as industry fails to attract young people

Truck drivers make up one of the oldest workforces in Australia and hundreds are retiring each year without being replaced, even as demand for freight skyrockets across the country.

Jason Larfield has been a truck driver out of Wagga for over 20 years and said the shortage was a "major concern" with no clear solution.

"It's a combination of a lot of drivers getting to retirement age and younger people not wanting to be truck drivers," he said.

"They don't want to spend the amount of time we spend away from home and it's a lot easier to just become a tradie and work Monday to Friday."

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Mr Larfield said he has "no idea" where the industry is going to find new drivers.

"Lobby groups mention apprenticeship schemes but I don't know how that's going to work because young fellas just don't want to be truck drivers," he said.

Reggie Sutton, who has driven trucks for nearly 18 years, said he completely understood why young people would choose other professions instead.

He said increased restrictions and crumbling roads have slowly made the job less enjoyable over time.

"Nothing's changed in regards to the infrastructure, there's less roadhouses, parkways and it's nearly the only job where you're crucified for doing overtime," Mr Sutton said.

"Look to be honest if I went for the job today I would never do it."

Mr Sutton believes the strict restrictions over who can or cannot drive a truck are worsening the shortage, by locking out elderly drivers who are still capable.

Geoff Crouch, the managing director of Ron Crouch Transport, said the driver shortage has been an ongoing issue for over a decade but has reached a critical point in recent years.

He believes the industry urgently needs to become more attractive to the younger generation and overcome the stereotype of being an "unskilled" profession.

"It's an old job saying that without trucks Australia stops and never has this been more prevalent than with the challenge we are facing at the moment," Mr Crouch said.

"The onus is on our industry to do everything possible to make truck driving a skilled vocation and to be seen as a preferred career path for young people."

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