Europe’s heavy goods vehicle driver shortage has become a structural constraint on logistics, with around 444,000 vacancies in 2025 and projections suggesting the gap could exceed 700,000 by the end of the decade, driven by ageing workforces, low recruitment and regulatory friction. Road Feeder Services (RFS), which underpin much of Europe’s air cargo connectivity, are particularly exposed because they operate within tight scheduling windows aligned to flight departures.