The key distinction between young bus and truck drivers and private car drivers lies in the professional nature of their activity. In letters addressed to Council and Parliament negotiators, IRU has challenged the misconceptions underpinning the minimum driving age debate during the Driving Licence Directive revision.
IRU is calling on EU policymakers to recognise the important distinction between young drivers and young professional drivers. Unlike private car drivers, young professional drivers undergo up to 280 hours of rigorous training, far exceeding the requirements for private car drivers, supplemented by mandatory annual regulatory refresher training. They are highly skilled professionals, certified through the Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC), and committed to upholding the highest safety standards.
IRU EU Advocacy Director Raluca Marian said, “The minimum age for young professional drivers is a topic of intense debate. Yet the solutions advanced in the Parliament’s negotiating position are pragmatic, well-considered and rooted in reality.”
“Although young professional drivers are among the safest road users, the debate surrounding the minimum driving age is often based on myths and emotions, not facts. We urge policymakers to base their decisions on evidence and give young graduates of dedicated vocational training the chance to embark on a wonderful career in our sector,” she added.
A specific point of debate is the European Commission’s proposal to allow an accompanying driving scheme for truck drivers starting at 17 years old. This provides fresh vocation school graduates the opportunity to start driving professionally alongside an experienced driver.
“We keep hearing that ‘IRU wants children behind the wheel’. We have a reply for all myth spreaders: our sector is ready to provide 17-year-olds with continued training, pairing them with experienced trainers during their driving while paying for their work. This creates both a remunerated apprenticeship and a job,” said Raluca Marian. “What is your proposal for young 17-year-old graduates?”
The revision of the Driving Licence Directive offers an unprecedented opportunity to bridge the gap between the end of school and the start of professional careers. It creates structured routes for young professionals to safely and sustainably join the workforce, addressing both youth unemployment and driver shortages.
The EU’s road transport sector is at a breaking point, with over 500,000 driver vacancies threatening the mobility of people and goods. Yet the EU has a 14.7% youth unemployment rate.
To further support these discussions, IRU has published a detailed fact sheet backed by key data and arguments on the safety and competence of young professional drivers.