FUTURE OF FLEET > DRIVERS
HOW AI, DATA AND CONNECTED PLATFORMS ARE REDEFINING DRIVING FOR THE NEXT FLEET GENERATION
Ryan Yu I VP, product, EMEA I Samsara
Technology isn’t just making fleets safer, more efficient and more sustainable. It’s now being seen as key to helping recruit the next generation of drivers who are attracted to a life on the road but with the tools, connectivity and career progression they expect from any modern workplace.
It’s one of the themes explored in a new series of blogs published by Samsara based on recent research and interviews with fleet leaders across the UK. Together, they paint a picture of an industry where digital transformation is not only improving safety and productivity but reshaping what it means to be a driver.
This is good news for any fleet struggling to recruit new employees. According to our survey of 1,000 young people aged 16-25, 62% said they have a positive view of driving-based careers, and 58% described them as an attractive option. If nothing else, it suggests that young people are interested in a driving-based career.
Gen Z are interested in driving for a living
So if that interest is there, why is it still so difficult to recruit the next generation of drivers? And why the continuing narrative of a driver shortage? The answer, in part – according to the fleet leaders who were interviewed for our research – lies in the perception of the industry. Too often, driving is still seen as old-fashioned and at odds with the digital, connected world younger workers have grown up in. Yet for those working in the industry, that image is fast becoming outdated.
From AI-enabled safety systems and digital workflows to in-cab video coaching, the job is evolving into something far more technical and data-driven than many realise. Increasingly, digital tools are embedded across the business – from vehicle checks and safety reporting to wellbeing forms and training workflows – all routed through the same connected platform. Does that sound like an industry stuck in the past?
That’s why it’s up to all of us to help get that message out there. We need to change perceptions and show that physical operations is a modern industry that can offer a great career regardless of whether you stay behind the wheel or take a seat behind a desk.
Changing perceptions is key
We need to let people know that forward-thinking companies aren’t just using tech to make them safer or more efficient. They’re also using it to build a culture of recognition, support and continuous improvement, making drivers feel valued.
So, if I may, I’d like to replace my prediction for 2026 with an ambition. No, a request. I want the industry to continue to use technology not only to make fleets safer and more efficient, but to make driving itself a more attractive, modern and rewarding career.
I want the industry to keep showing that a career in driving or logistics means being part of a modern, connected, data-driven industry where driving is regarded as a highly skilled role that underpins the entire economy. If we can get that message out there, I am sure that we will be able to connect with the next fleet generation.
