Truck Drivers Power Europe’s Economy—But at What Cost? Responsible Trucking 2024 Survey Shows Progress, Partnership, and Persistent Structural Challenges
Responsible Trucking is a collaborative platform initiated by CSR Europe to improve social conditions in European road transport. It supports companies in identifying human rights risks, improving working conditions, and promoting systemic change in partnership with logistics actors across the value chain.
As families across Europe gather for long weekends and holidays, thousands of professional truck drivers are not at home.
After days or even weeks on the road, delivering the food, flowers, and essentials that make our life comfortable, many drivers spend their rest days parked in highway rest areas, far from their loved ones.
Despite European legislation prohibiting extended rest periods in vehicle cabins, many drivers still lack access to proper accommodation and are fined instead of being offered rest.
The very people enabling Europe’s holiday comforts are often denied their own.
This paradox lies at the heart of a logistics sector under pressure—from decarbonisation, automation, and a deepening driver shortage. In this context, the Responsible Trucking initiative, facilitated by CSR Europe, has released the results of its 2024 Spot Check Tool (SCT) survey, offering a snapshot of working conditions across European logistics sites showing a sign of hope through industry-led progress. The survey, supported by &Wider and conducted in 21 languages to ensure wide accessibility, was fully anonymous to protect drivers and encourage candid feedback. It reflects the direct experiences of over 2,800 drivers across Europe.
“These results are not just data points—they are a reflection of companies that care, that are committed, and that are leading the way,” said Stefan Crets, Executive Director of CSR Europe. “The Spot Check Tool is a sign of engagement, not exposure. But it also shows just how complex and systemic the issues are.”
Spot Check Tool 2024: Driving Transparency & Trust
With input from over 2,800 truck drivers at 37 logistics facilities and 30 carrier partners, the Spot Check Tool captures the day-to-day experiences of those on the front lines of European supply chains.
Among the participants of the Responsible Trucking initiative, positive developments at participating sites can be observed:
Sheltered handover areas are increasingly the norm—small changes that reflect big respect.
Most drivers report clear communication on loading/unloading procedures.
Reports of personal document withholding are extremely rare—thanks to strict oversight. The members of Responsible Trucking are strongly opposed to such practices and are committed to ethical operations in the trucking supply chain to ensure that such cases do not occur in the first place.
Regular truck inspections are standard, reinforcing road safety practices.
82% of drivers say they are treated with respect by facility staff.
88–96% report positive experiences on safe driving training, document safety, truck inspections, and basic procedures.
These improvements are largely the result of concrete actions taken by Responsible Trucking members who use the tool to identify risks, improve conditions, and set a higher industry standard. It shows they are actively committed to raising the bar on social responsibility in logistics.
But the Road Ahead Is Complex
Despite improvements seen at participating sites and carriers, sector-wide challenges remain deeply rooted in the logistics model itself—a model where responsibility is often several steps removed from control.
Broader sector-wide issues persist—and they cannot be solved by individual companies alone, e.g excessive driving hours often result from poor coordination far upstream in the supply chain.
Following the survey, members have launched tailored follow-up actions—from improving multilingual communication to organizing targeted workshops with carriers to address excessive hours, discrimination, and unclear contract conditions. Some issues require long-term infrastructure solutions, but plans are already being developed to tackle these head-on.
Individual companies will not be able to solve it all by themselves. This underscores the need for shared responsibility and deeper collaboration across the logistics ecosystem—from shippers to carriers to policymakers.
A Sector-Wide Call to Action
The Responsible Trucking initiative serves as a blueprint for collaborative change. As Europe navigates its green and digital transitions, fair and resilient supply chains are not optional—they are foundational.
“You cannot build a sustainable transport system on a foundation of invisible, exhausted workers,” said Crets. “We’re proud of our members who are taking the lead through concrete actions. But to truly fix the system, we need more companies to join, stronger alignment across the logistics value chain, and shared responsibility at every level. Failing to act puts not only human dignity at risk—but also Europe’s long-term competitiveness.”
The 2024 survey cycle clearly shows both the impact of committed leadership and the need for broader alignment across the chain. With more members, we can scale these improvements and collectively shape a fairer, safer, and more resilient transport system.
Contact: Jean-François Goupillier
About Responsible Trucking
Responsible Trucking is a collaborative platform initiated by CSR Europe to improve social conditions in European road transport. It supports companies in identifying human rights risks, improving working conditions, and promoting systemic change in partnership with logistics actors across the value chain.
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