Spain faces a persistent strain on road freight costs, with annual figures surpassing 14 billion euros. The core issue is an ongoing, generational drop in available relief—drivers who retire sooner than new entrants can replace them. The national sector reports a shortage of roughly 15,000 truckers, a gap so acute that employers are engaging with authorities to explore work visas for skilled foreign professionals. Paradoxically, while the overall workforce shrinks, Castellón experiences a temporary surge in activity tied to a crisis-driven anomaly: the citrus sector has entered an unusually short campaign, keeping fleets busy for over a year as demand fluctuates across harvests and distribution channels.
In Castellón province, the traditional view of labor gaps suggested a smaller shortage, around 500 truck drivers. Yet recent conditions show a very different picture. Some years ago there were months when fleets paused already because labor was scarce. Today, even when there is staff, the volume of work has dipped sharply due to fewer contracts and slower orders. Carmelo Martínez, the president of the Castellón Road Goods Transport Cooperation, which operates under the umbrella of the national confederation, notes that the sector has endured a reduction in loading volumes even as available personnel have grown back to some extent. The trend emphasizes how fragile timing and demand are for the transport community there.
Recent data indicates a softer pace in activity, with estimates suggesting a roughly 20 percent decline in the sector. The downturn was most evident in the first two months of the year, but it began to signal a recovery after the summer season. Commercial freight linked to tile production, retail handling, and citrus cooperatives saw a lull in the early months, a pattern linked to the seasonal end of major harvests and the calendar around Christmas. When these two large industries slow, carriers feel the impact most acutely, because the job cadence depends on steady shipments and predictable orders.
Freight demand has shifted compared to the previous year, with some companies reducing staff through layoffs and in some cases ceasing operations altogether. Ministry of Transport figures show Castellón hosting about 2,664 trucking businesses, including independent operators and cooperatives, as of the end of February. That figure marks a decline from the previous year and underscores the sector’s ongoing restructuring. The Castellón light industry cluster illustrates how intertwined freight activity is with ceramic production and related distribution networks. The sector’s interim relief remains a point of negotiation, with industry leaders urging policymakers to provide support similar to what neighboring peers receive.
Aging Drivers and the need for new entrants
Beyond demand shifts, Castellón shows a notable aging pattern among drivers. A substantial share of the workforce is already past mid-career, and roughly half the drivers are over 45. This age distribution foreshadows more retirements in the coming decades, creating a risk of a deeper driver gap just as the economy demands robust freight movement. The situation underscores the urgency of engaging younger workers and making the profession more accessible. Industry leaders call for practical measures that could ease vocational entry, from training pipelines to smoother integration pathways for newcomers into the logistics sector.
Experts and federation heads emphasize that the transport sector requires a clear, actionable plan to address both immediate shortages and long-term succession. Solutions discussed at the regional level include extended training programs, apprenticeship placements, and targeted incentives for young people to pursue careers in logistics and warehousing. By aligning education with real-world trucking needs, Castellón hopes to create a steady stream of capable drivers who can carry freight through the region’s diverse manufacturing and retail ecosystems.
As this sector navigates a mix of seasonal demand, aging demographics, and evolving regulatory environments, the emphasis remains on maintaining reliable delivery networks while fostering workforce renewal. The Castellón region illustrates how local industries intersect with national labor trends, the health of the ceramic supply chain, and the broader European freight market. Stakeholders continue to monitor headcount, hours worked, and demand signals to adjust capacity and safeguard the efficiency of essential goods transport.