A workforce polycrisis: one supply chain, many skills shortages

Automotive Logistics recently took a detailed look into the issue of driver shortages in the North American vehicle logistics sector, examining the factors coming together to create a perfect storm for the industry – from new regulations to an ageing workforce. But it is not just finished vehicle logistics that is being affected by skills shortages; the problem extends across the automotive supply chain, although it takes different forms in different areas and therefore requires different responses.

Read more: Understanding the new labour reality in finished vehicle logistics

The driver shortage that resurfaced across North American trucking in 2026 is hitting finished vehicle logistics harder than most – and the reasons run deeper than a headcount gap.

The driver shortage in finished vehicle logistics is perhaps the most visible manifestation of a much broader challenge. Across inbound logistics, plant operations and service parts networks, companies are finding it more and more difficult to find the right people who can perform increasingly specialised jobs.

But these are not simply different versions of the same labour shortage. The skills required to move a finished vehicle, manage a sequencing operation, maintain an automated warehouse or plan a global service parts network are fundamentally different – as are the factors making those roles difficult to fill.

Equally, the factors impacting labour availability vary from region to region, so for global supply chains, knowing the limitations and pressures affecting operations in different parts of the world is important.

The result is not one automotive logistics workforce crisis, but several, spanning different functions and regions – each requiring different solutions. Understanding those distinctions will be crucial if the industry is to build the workforce it needs for the future.

Driver shortages around the world

The automotive logistics sector is facing a shortage of drivers globally, but in different regions, different factors are contributing to these shortages. Hover over North America, Europe and Asia on the map below to find out more about the driver shortages in these three key regions.

Driver shortages, cost increases and capacity constraints compound pressure on supply chains

The automotive logistics industry is having to navigate multiple pain points at once, each feeding into one another and compounding the pressure on supply chains.

Read more: Fuel volatility puts automotive logistics costs under the microscope

Fuel may have retreated from recent peaks, but its share of automotive transport costs remains substantial. As volatility becomes harder to ignore, automotive logistics teams are looking more closely at surcharges, routing, consolidation and fleet efficiency to control their exposure.

For example, driver shortages directly constrain transport capacity. Fewer drivers mean fewer available trucks, putting greater pressure on already constrained capacity. This can drive up freight rates, as carriers become more selective about the loads they accept and seek to maximise the return on their available capacity. At the same time, higher fuel costs increase carriers’ operating costs and put further pressure on margins. Together, these pressures can make it more difficult for carriers to invest in higher driver pay, recruitment and retention, potentially exacerbating driver shortages and further tightening capacity.

The scale of this pressure is evident in the European road freight market. According to a recent Transport Intelligence report, European road freight operating costs have risen 34% since 2019, compared with a 22% increase in freight rates and an 8% increase in volumes. The divergence between costs and rates has squeezed carrier margins, leaving operators with less room to absorb further cost increases.

Transport Intelligence noted that fuel costs have intensified this pressure, although fuel surcharges have offered some protection – albeit providing delayed support rather than immediate relief. If this compression persists, the report warned, it will inevitably reduce the cash available for fleet renewals, maintenance and driver retention.

While driver shortages are the most obvious and pressing labour concern in automotive logistics, they do not comprise the entire issue – there are other key skills that are in high demand. Below, Automotive Logistics outlines some of the other key skills and roles that the industry is in need of in order to meet customer expectations, fulfil demand and align with growing trends such as digitalisation, electrification and growing trade complexity.

Planning and data literacy

In addition to finding people to physically execute the movement of goods, another problem the entire industry faces is finding people who are capable of planning, adapting and making decisions across increasingly complicated supply networks.

Today, the automotive logistics landscape is fraught with volatility and the key to long-term success will be the ability to effectively plan ahead and remain flexible to navigate sudden sources of disruption. Without the right people in the industry to make these plans and adapt them accordingly, this outcome appears far less likely.

With data and digital platforms playing such an important role in predictive analytics and transport planning in 2026, data literacy is becoming an increasingly critical skill for individuals in the sector to have.

This shift from operational execution to strategic planning and network design was highlighted during a panel discussion at ALSC Global 2025 by Adam Olson, vice president of logistics mobility for the Americas at Bosch. Olson emphasised that data literacy is "extremely important" in the new roles that have emerged over the past few years as data handling requirements have changed.

"It's no longer just traditional reporting, it's really about how you wrap your hands around the data, how do you analyse the data, find correlation, create predictive models and then tell a story with that data," Olson said. "We're really migrating from operational execution to somebody that's well rounded, that tells stories and drives action."

During this discussion, Chris Styles, regional vice president of supply chain management at Nissan Americas, said that he noticed over the past five years that Nissan's supply chain team was so dedicated to operational excellence that "nobody had time to really step back and focus on what the future needs to look like".

Catch more insights from Nissan's Chris Styles and a dedicated panel discussion on managing skills shortages at Automotive Logistics & Supply Chain Global 2026

22-24 September | St John's Resort, Plymouth, MI

To address this, Nissan developed a separate group that sat outside of the OEM's day-to-day operations as a supply chain innovation team. It brought in data scientists and started its own internal development programme focused on data analytics.

One prominent issue forming part of the workforce polycrisis is generational gaps between veteran employees and new starters. Knowing this can be cause for concern, Styles designed this new supply chain innovation team to bridge some of these gaps, allowing for older generations to impart their wisdom and experience on younger generations, while taking advantage of the modern digital skills that university leavers brought to the organisation.

"We need to evolve along with the tools that are out there, but it's also important to let our folks know that we're going to help them progress with the new skillsets they need so that they feel like they're keeping up with it too," Styles said.

Of the total respondents in Automotive Logistics' most recent Automotive Inbound Logistics Survey, 28% identified a lack of skills, training and understanding as one of the main constraints of digitalisation within automotive inbound logistics.

When it comes to digitalisation, a common trap can be to focus solely on the technology itself, when in reality it is often the humans that are the missing link in a technological transformation. Companies wishing to embrace digital technologies fully should not ignore the need for investment in people, training and skills to ensure that digital tools can be used to their greatest potential.

"It doesn't matter if you have a lot of information or technology if you don't have the right people making the right decisions," said Luis León, vice president of sales at Ascent Global Logistics, at ALSC ASEAN 2025.

EV, battery and high-voltage specialists

Just as digitalisation is driving demand for IT proficiency and data literacy, the shift towards vehicle electrification is increasing the need for high-voltage competencies. This is becoming a distinct workforce issue in the sector due to the additional safety risks and handling requirements associated with electric vehicles.

In addition to the expertise needed to handle finished EVs, the need for these specialists spans inbound logistics and service parts logistics too, with workers needing appropriate training for handling high-voltage components such as battery packs and electric motors. The specialism is arguably more crucial in service parts and reverse logistics operations, due to the dangerous nature of damaged batteries.

Read more: Increased defence spending creates new opportunities for Europe's automotive sector

With countries across Europe investing more in defence, the automotive sector's advanced manufacturing and supply chain capabilities make it a key asset for defence, opening up new opportunities for cross-sector collaboration.

One potential solution to this issue that could prove effective as new opportunities for collaboration between the automotive and defence sectors emerge would be to take advantage of the skills service leavers have picked up while in the armed forces.

"The industry is changing; in response to the electrification that was implied by the UK's Road to Zero strategy, we have been helping companies to access armed forces talent," said James Cameron, founder and CEO of service charity Mission Motorsport, which launched the Mission Automotive initiative alongside the Royal Foundation, the Ministry of Defence and the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders.

"The term high-voltage is only used in the military to refer to over 1,000V, as opposed to more sensible levels that civilians would look at of around 50-60V, meaning that many of the people that have served in the armed forces have got those high-voltage competencies and perhaps don't even know it," he explained.

Trade and customs experts

Read more: Overcoming barriers in cross-border trade

Tariffs, sanctions and anti-dumping measures are complicating customs but quality data, centralised labelling and AI tools can help mitigate disruption within automotive supply chains.

Tariff uncertainty and tightening regulation for cross-border shipments have brought trade and customs to top of mind within the supply chain, making expertise in these areas highly sought after.

Speaking at ALSC Europe earlier this year, Nicolas Collart, chief compliance and trade operations officer at Customs Support Group, identified a knowledge gap where in some cases, those overseeing customs and trade departments weren't experts on the subject matter. He described difficulties that can sometimes emerge when trying to communicate complicated customs matters to C-suite leaders and noted the value of having people with the ability to understand these matters and communicate their importance to leadership.

"Essentially, it doesn't matter where the customs function sits," said Collart. "The point is they need to be closer to all departments nowadays… If you want to do it right, you need the right people and the right strategy."

Automation, robotics and equipment technicians

As plants become increasingly automated, the roles in these facilities are becoming more technically demanding. Within plant logistics, the question is no longer simply whether there are enough people to move material around a plant, but whether there are enough people who understand the systems moving it.

Read more: Data, culture and people: the real barriers to AI in automotive logistics

Leaders from Ford, Scania, Aston Martin and DP World at ALSC UK 2026 conference shared how extended reality, agentic AI and holistic supply chain thinking are driving real operational gains and why people and culture remain the defining constraints.

One example of this is Jaguar Land Rover (JLR), which has recently focused or restructuring both systems and skills to respond to growing production and logistics complexity. The company has introduced very narrow aisle (VNA) racking to optimise warehouse layouts in spite of physical limitations, but doing this requires specialist forklift equipment and staff trained to operate it.

“We’ve done a piece of work on strategic workforce planning where we’ve really looked at future skills requirements and identified the gaps,” Loretta Dittrich, logistics director for global manufacturing engineering at JLR, told Automotive Logistics' chief content officer Christopher Ludwig in 2025.

Further evidence of the increasingly technical nature of modern plant logistics comes from Stuart Clarke, manager of material flow and packaging engineering at Ford. At ALSC UK, Clarke outlined how Ford is transforming new model launches through digital twin technology, using immersive virtual reality systems to identify ergonomic, safety and layout issues early in the material flow and packaging design process.

"We're looking at how we roll out experts in the plants because as a group staff function where I work, we don't want to own the operation day to day; the plants need to own their own operation, they need to run their own layouts and in the future we'll look at how we roll this out further globally," Clarke said, pointed towards the need for staff at plants to become adept with new technologies, using them to optimise plant logistics processes on a day-to-day basis.

Clarke explained that a crucial part of technology adoption is the education of both engineers and senior leaders, not just about how a system works, but also on the reasons behind its adoption and what it can achieve in terms of efficiency and profitability.