Sick leave, the effects of the coronavirus, including poaching – at the Salzburg garbage disposal and waste recycling company Rieger, up to ten trucks stay in the parking lots every day. 120 company-owned trucks drive for the family business, a tenth of the vehicle fleet quickly comes to a standstill.

“No chauffeurs report”

Company owner Hans Rieger emphasizes: “That is our biggest problem. We have lots of new cars fast, but we don’t have chauffeurs. No chauffeurs report either. We currently have vehicles because we cannot fill them with chauffeurs. ”The Flachgau company has also been registered with the Public Employment Service (AMS) for weeks. But “to date not a single one has come,” adds company boss Rieger.

In order to fulfill its orders, Rieger is now also commissioning other freight forwarders with transports “as long as they have chauffeurs. The only way out is that we get to our customers on time. ”Rieger cannot foresee when the shortage will end:“ We pay well, but the dream of driving is over. It is not threatening your existence. But it’s not funny when the cars are parked in the yard and you don’t have any drivers. ”Rieger is now expanding its search for professional drivers to include other European countries: from Germany to Romania and Bulgaria.

Up to 500 truck drivers are missing in Salzburg alone

Up to 500 truck drivers are currently missing in Salzburg across the country – the Chamber of Commerce assumes. And this shortcoming is likely to get worse over the next few years due to a wave of retirements. The Salzburg AMS is therefore now promoting professional driver training – more on this in the foreseeable future: AMS pays truck driver training.