Peter MacLeod speaks with Girteka Transport’s CEO Mindaugas Paulauskas about the critical shortage of drivers, and what measures his company is taking to attract and retain people.
As Europe’s driver shortage deepens, logistics operators are being forced to confront a simple question: is investing in drivers a necessary cost or a competitive advantage? For Mindaugas Paulauskas, CEO of Girteka Transport, the answer is clear. “It is the future of transport,” he tells me. “Without investing in drivers – in their skills, working conditions, well-being, and long-term prospects – the industry will not sustain itself.”
From its base in Lithuania, Girteka has grown into one of Europe’s largest asset-based transport companies, operating a fleet of more than 10,000 trucks and specialising in temperature-controlled and high-value logistics. Yet even at this scale, the company faces the same structural challenges reshaping the European road freight sector: an ageing driver workforce, tightening labour rules, and a shrinking pool of qualified recruits.
Regulatory Bottleneck
However, amidst this landscape Girteka continues to attract applicants. “We don’t face a shortage of interest – drivers actively apply to join Girteka, and many come through referrals. We even see former drivers returning, having noticed how much our working conditions have improved.”
The real bottleneck, Paulauskas argues, is regulatory rather than motivational. “Visa rules and work permit requirements have become significantly stricter compared to just a few years ago. For a company operating across Europe, these constraints affect how quickly we can onboard qualified drivers, even when the talent is there.”
Paulauskas believes the situation will worsen unless policymakers act. “The profession is becoming less attractive to younger generations, and without meaningful policy action across the EU, the shortage will not ease on its own. Current political trends are moving toward tighter labour mobility and migration controls, limiting access to professional drivers from outside the EU.”
Investing in drivers
At Girteka, driver recruitment and training are viewed as long-term investments, not reactive measures. “The only way to retain drivers and maintain service quality is to focus on people – their wellbeing, safety, satisfaction, and professional growth,” says Paulauskas.
The company plans to invest around €300,000 in 2026 to upgrade its Drivers Academy, reinforcing skills in areas such as load securing, temperature control, and the use of advanced safety systems. “Many of our drivers come from different countries, where standards and vehicle requirements may vary,” he explains. “It’s our responsibility to ensure they operate at a consistently high European level.”
This focus on competence goes hand-in-hand with a modern fleet strategy. Earlier this year, Girteka signed an order for 2,000 Volvo FH and FH Aero heavy-duty trucks, believed to be Europe’s largest truck deal of 2025. Girteka believes the investment ensures that its drivers have access to some of the most advanced vehicles on the market.
In parallel, an injection of €173 million of financing will support further fleet renewal through 2025-2026. “Modern trucks improve safety, comfort, and efficiency,” Paulauskas (pictured, below) says. “They reduce fatigue, enhance reliability, and make daily operations smoother, benefits that drivers immediately recognise.”
Human Insight
For Paulauskas, understanding driver experience is not theoretical. In 2024, he launched his ‘Mindaugas on the Road’ initiative, in which he spent several days travelling with one of Girteka’s drivers. “I wanted to see the job through their eyes – not from the office or reports, but from the driver’s seat,” he recalls.
His observations pointed to deeper systemic challenges. “Infrastructure in Europe is still not where it should be. The Mobility Package requires drivers to take weekly rest outside the cabin, yet there are not enough hotels, secure parking areas or rest facilities to make that possible everywhere. So, if the industry must provide these conditions, who takes responsibility for the parts outside our control? These are the real questions we need to solve collectively.”
Beyond pay, Paulauskas emphasises social and cultural factors: “Drivers want to feel appreciated, have proper rest, and live a life outside of work. We put strong focus on respectful communication, work-life balance, and creating a supportive environment. With more than 10,000 drivers, we’re truly a multicultural company, so empathy and understanding are essential.”
He rejects the notion that wellbeing is optional. “Rest, health, and safe working conditions are not ‘extras’. They directly influence performance, safety, and how clients perceive us. Ignoring wellbeing only creates bigger problems later for drivers, companies, and the transport sector as a whole.”
Shared Responsibility
Encouragingly, customers are beginning to consider driver wellbeing in their selection of logistics partners. “That’s a positive shift,” says Paulauskas, “but collaboration is still limited when it comes to action. Too often, the responsibility is pushed entirely onto logistics service providers.”
He argues that genuine progress requires cooperation. “We cannot improve conditions at thousands of loading and unloading sites across Europe on our own. Basic things like rest areas, showers, or secure parking depend on how facilities are managed. That’s where partnership is needed.”
Building on his earlier initiative, Mindaugas plans to extend his on-the-ground approach by observing operations at customer facilities. “We’re planning a new campaign, similar to ‘Mindaugas on the Road’, but focusing on loading and unloading sites. Only by experiencing these realities first-hand can we have an honest conversation about what needs to improve and how responsibility should be shared.”
Looking ahead, Paulauskas believes policymakers have a vital role to play. “Easing legal requirements for non-EU drivers could help address the shortage in a realistic, long-term way,” he suggests. “In the short term, better alignment on load-weight rules and stronger support for intermodal transport could improve efficiency and help companies operate with the workforce they already have.”
He also urges greater industry involvement in Brussels. “Policy discussions must include logistics companies and industry leaders so that decisions reflect real-world challenges and feasible solutions, not just theory.”
Central to Girteka’s strategy is its Drivers Academy, which offers structured onboarding, continuous skills development and a clear career path. “For newcomers, it helps them integrate faster and feel supported. For experienced drivers, it’s a place to refresh and upgrade their skills as technology and customer expectations evolve,” says Paulauskas. “It shows that we are serious about giving people the knowledge and confidence to grow.”
That sense of commitment – from training to technology – underpins Girteka’s appeal as an employer of choice. “Drivers value a smooth recruitment and onboarding process, access to professional development, and competitive pay,” he explains. “Those three elements make their work more enjoyable, predictable, and supported, and they give confidence to new drivers just starting their careers.”
The Road Ahead
For Paulauskas, the message is simple: investment in people is the only sustainable route forward. “If we don’t believe there is a future for transport, despite all the challenges we face on the road and all the effort we put into it, then what are we really working for?”
In an industry too often driven by margins and mileage, Girteka’s approach offers a stark reminder that progress depends not just on trucks, but on the people behind the wheel.
