The Transported Asset Protection Association (TAPA) is giving away over 55,000 free Driver Security Awareness Training courses. They are worth over €1.3 million and are going to its more than 1,100 member companies in Europe, the Middle East & Africa (EMEA). This is part of its ongoing programme to improve driver safety and to improve the security and resilience of supply chain operations across the region.
This latest initiative aligns with TAPA EMEA’s commitment to increase safe and secure parking across the region, and particularly in Europe. It is also in line with its support of a new Certified Carrier Exchange to tackle the issue of escalating freight fraud and to enable companies to book transport shipments with trusted, TAPA TSR (Trucking Security Requirements) certified operators. The Association has also produced a Driver Security Guide, available in 17 languages, available to download free from its website.
“Supply chains do not work without drivers. This applies to all modes of transport, including air freight, ocean freight to road freight and rail freight. But strong messages about driver shortages, an ageing driver population, and the struggle to attract young people as well as more women to consider driving as a safe and rewarding profession have failed to bring about significant improvements,” said Thorsten Neumann, President & CEO of TAPA EMEA. “We want to make a measurable difference. This new benefit for TAPA EMEA members is the largest driver training initiative in our 26-year history. It aims to keep more drivers safe and to send the strongest possible signal that we are listening to drivers’ and employers’ concerns. We are investing in solutions that contribute to the security of today’s driver community. We also hope it will resonate with others considering a driving career.”
Keeping drivers safe
TAPA EMEA’ s Driver Security Awareness is also available to non-member companies at €50.00 per course per driver. The course is a flexible online training course which covers:
- Security Awareness
- Transport Security
- TAPA Trucking Security Requirements (TSR) Level 1 driver requirements
The training highlights cargo theft risks and the M.O. used by crime groups to target trucks and drivers. It also considers threats posed by illegal migration and smuggling and offers practical advice to drivers to protect their safety.
The course is self-paced. The only requirement specified is that drivers must complete the course within one-month of registering for the training.
Thorsten Neumann added, “Professional truck and van drivers are fully aware of the risks posed by freight crime. In the last two years, our TIS intelligence system has recorded over 112,000 cargo crime incidents in 116 countries in Europe, the Middle East & Africa. They are mostly targeting trucks as well as vans performing last-mile deliveries. When you consider that the loss value for only 5% of these crimes that told us their financial impact was >€2.6 billion, it is easy to understand why criminals see road transport as such a big, lucrative and low risk target.
“It is essential that all employees feel safe at work, but drivers mostly work alone and this increases their vulnerability. When you add personal security concerns to the lack of safe parking places, having to work working irregular hours, driver fatigue, spending long periods away from home, poor working conditions, and the high cost of acquiring a heavy goods vehicle licence, it also explains why the IRU, the World Road Transport Organisation, says there are around 500,000 unfilled positions for professional drivers in the EU alone.”
A significant lack of drivers across Europe
Unless this recruitment challenge is addressed, today’s seamless supply chains will start to face significant disruption. The average European driver is now 47 years old, and a large percentage are over 55. In countries like Germany up to 30,000 drivers retire annually, while only 15,000 new entrants are recruited to replace them.
Already, over 50% of European trucking companies report they cannot expand due to driver shortages.
TAPA EMEA’s Parking Security Requirements (PSR) programme is another of the Association’s initiatives to boost driver safety and supply chain security. It is now the most-adopted parking standard in Europe. Sites in its database up 70% year-on-year, giving drivers more access to safer parking locations in 16 countries. However, the demand vs. supply gap will still take many years to close, Thorsten Neumann explained.
Announcement at the 2026 Annual Conference
At its 2026 Annual Conference in Oberhausen, Germany, the Association announced its support for a new Certified Carrier Exchange, developed by Trans.eu Group and powered by TAPA EMEA’s Standards & Intelligence. Built entirely on TAPA TSR (Trucking Security Requirements) certification, the Exchange is designed to connect companies with trusted, security-certified transport providers in a closed, premium environment.
The core functionality revolves around providing reliable, verified, and TAPA-compliant capacity to shippers and freight forwarders, while simultaneously offering new business opportunities to carriers that adhere to the TAPA’s security requirements.
Access to the Certified Carrier Exchange is exclusively limited to carriers holding a valid TSR 1, TSR 2, or TSR 3 certification, automatically verified in real-time against the TAPA database. This means that, in contrast to what happens on other platforms, certifications are not self-declared. Instead, they are continuously validated and actively maintained under TAPA’s oversight framework. Shippers and freight forwarders, including those which are not TAPA members, can access the exchange to connect with this verified pool of capacity.
Thorsten Neumann concluded, “Supply chains need to build trust with their essential driver communities that their safety, and the security of the goods in their care, are paramount. This also requires companies to be proactive and to take advantage of initiatives like our driver training and security guides because action speakers louder than words.”
