Girteka is shifting part of its transport operations to Riga (Latvia) and Oradea (Romania), establishing local entities as the company adapts its European operating model to changing labour market conditions and the continued shortage of professional drivers.
In Latvia, Girteka is already approaching the milestone of 100 locally registered trucks, with the fleet operating on the road. In Romania, the team is preparing to receive its first trucks and drivers. The new operations will include locally registered fleets, driver employment and transport management, with local administrative teams developing in line with operational needs.
“Our focus is to be the best-performing logistics partner for temperature-controlled and high-value cargo. Customers in these segments expect reliability, consistent capacity and a high level of operational control. As labour availability, regulation and costs change across Europe, we need to make sure our operating model continues to support that promise and allows us to deliver at scale,” says Pavel Kveten, CEO of Girteka Logistics.
Adapting to Europe’s driver shortage
Professional driver availability remains one of the biggest challenges for European road transport. According to the International Road Transport Union, around 502,000 truck driver positions were unfilled in Europe in 2025, representing approximately 13% of the workforce required by the sector.
The pressure is expected to increase further. IRU estimates that around 20% of Europe’s current truck driver workforce will retire within the next five years, adding further pressure to an already constrained labour market.
For an asset-based transport company such as Girteka, access to professional drivers is directly linked to the capacity it can provide to customers. The company delivers around 800,000 full truckloads annually for more than 5,000 customers across Europe, making the ability to attract, employ and support a stable driver workforce a core part of its operating model. By diversifying where its fleet and workforce are based, Girteka gains greater flexibility to secure the resources needed to serve customers reliably across Europe.
European operating network
Girteka already operates through multiple locations across Europe. In Poland alone, the company manages a fleet of around 3,000 trucks, supported by local driver recruitment, transport management and operational capabilities. The new entities in Latvia and Romania continue this approach, allowing Girteka to position its operations where they can best support both customer needs and access to professional drivers.
“This is a necessary step to ensure the continuity and efficiency of our transport operations. The availability of professional drivers remains a key constraint, and we need greater flexibility to recruit at the scale our fleet requires,” says Mindaugas Paulauskas, CEO of Girteka Transport. “Establishing operations in Latvia and Romania gives us additional options to attract and employ drivers, organise our fleet more effectively and maintain the capacity our customers rely on.”
Developing local operations
The new entities will be fully integrated into Girteka’s European operations, providing the local framework for fleet registration, driver employment and transport management.
The company is already building local teams, with recruitment under way for transport operations and management roles in Riga. The company is looking for experienced professionals who can help establish processes, support fleet growth and build local teams as the operation develops. Recruitment in Romania will develop alongside the launch and growth of the local operation.
As the operations scale, Girteka will assess the need for additional local roles and functions in both countries. The aim is to create a sustainable operating setup that supports fleet performance, driver availability and reliable capacity for customers across Europe.
