Fenadismer and UATAE propose early retirement for transport workers: this is the initiative

Associations representing self-employed transport workers argue that this profession more than meets the requirements for accessing an early retirement scheme. Among the most prominent reasons are:

• The physical and psychological strain of professional driving for long hours, under demanding conditions, with sleep disturbances, responsibility for goods and road safety, and continuous stress.
• The high rate of workplace accidents in the transport sector, which continues to register one of the highest rates of serious and fatal accidents.
• In the last year alone, there were more than 40,000 workplace accidents, of which more than 100 were fatal. Driving heavy goods vehicles also involves constant physical exertion, exposure to extreme weather conditions, and long periods of isolation, especially on international routes. All of this has led to the consideration that professional transport workers, and in particular the self-employed, carry out their activity in an environment that falls within the scenarios foreseen by legislation for applying reduced retirement age coefficients.

Royal Decree 402/2025, approved last May, allows professions with arduous, toxic, dangerous, or unhealthy conditions to qualify for early retirement through the application of reduction coefficients.

The regulation establishes that these coefficients must be justified with specific studies and data that demonstrate the negative impact of the profession on the health or safety of workers, as well as the existence of a risk higher than the average in the workplace.

The application must be submitted by the sector's representative associations to the relevant Ministry, accompanied by a supporting report and other documents that prove compliance with the requirements. From there, a technical analysis procedure is initiated by an evaluation committee that will determine whether early retirement can be applied and under what conditions.

Organizations have officially submitted a request for self-employed freight transport drivers to access early retirement. The request proposes several key points:

• The application of reduction coefficients to the retirement age based on the type of driving and workload. For example, for drivers of heavy goods vehicles on long-distance routes, a coefficient of 0.315 is proposed, which would allow for retirement more than three years earlier for every ten years of contributions.
• For other types of professional transport, such as urban or delivery, a coefficient of 0.15 is proposed.
• It is requested that the State assume 80% of the additional cost that this early retirement would entail in social security contributions, since the self-employed do not have a company to share the social security payments with them.

This step marks the beginning of the legal procedure for early retirement to become a reality for this group, although it still needs to pass the Ministry's technical review.

Although there is no set timetable, the process includes the following phases:

• Evaluation of the application by the Ministry and establishment of the technical committee that will analyze the feasibility of applying the proposed coefficients.
• Review of the submitted documentation: accident rates, working conditions, impact on health, and other supporting data.
• Issuance of a final report that must determine whether the measure is approved, under what conditions, and from when it would be applied.
• Subsequent regulatory development to specify access to this early retirement and its practical application in terms of contributions and the legal retirement age.

Therefore, this is a procedure that could take several months, but it could become an important precedent for other similar professions.

Early retirement, if ultimately approved, will have multiple implications for road freight transport:

• Progressive reduction of experienced professionals who could retire before the standard age.
• Possible acceleration of generational change, provided there are incentives for the recruitment of new drivers.
• Readjustment in the cost structure of the self-employed, especially if they must increase their social security contributions.
• Changes in route planning, vehicle acquisition, or business continuity for self-employed individuals over 60 years of age.

This regulatory change could be a turning point for the sector, which will have to adapt from both an operational and economic perspective.

This Royal Decree, approved in May 2025, allows certain professions whose activity involves a high degree of hardship, danger, toxicity, or unhealthiness to retire before the standard retirement age. To do so, the exceptional working conditions must be justified with specific data, and technical studies supporting the request must be submitted.

Once the application is submitted by the representative associations of the group, the relevant Ministry initiates an evaluation procedure. A technical committee analyzes the reports, determines whether the requirements are met, and, if so, proposes the application of reduction coefficients to lower the retirement age.

This procedure has been designed to be applied in a limited way and according to the actual risks of each profession. Therefore, its approval is not automatic, but depends on a thorough analysis by the labor and Social Security authorities.

The application submitted to the Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration includes several key points:

• Application of differentiated reduction coefficients: a coefficient of 0.315 is proposed for self-employed transporters who drive long-distance heavy vehicles, which would allow retirement to be brought forward by more than three years for every ten years of contributions. For other types of professional transport, such as urban or regional transport, a coefficient of 0.15 is proposed. Financing of the additional cost: it is requested that the State assume 80% of the increase in contributions that the application of these coefficients would imply, since the self-employed lack the figure of the employer who, in the case of salaried employees, shares the cost of the contribution. Recognition of the physical and psychological impact of the profession: the request is accompanied by reports that include accident statistics, occupational health studies, and analyses of the specific conditions of professional driving under the self-employed regime. Initiation of the formal procedure: with this request, the administrative process foreseen in the decree has been activated, which implies that the Administration must evaluate the request in the coming months.

If this request is approved, the consequences could be very significant:

• Early retirement of thousands of professionals: many self-employed drivers over 60 could plan to retire before 65, reducing the number of experienced professionals available in the market.
• Increased pressure to attract new drivers: with a significant portion of the workforce approaching retirement, the sector will be forced to strengthen its strategy to incorporate new profiles, train young drivers, and facilitate generational change.
• Changes in business planning: many self-employed individuals could review their career strategy if they know they can retire earlier.
• This includes decisions about buying or selling vehicles, reducing activity, adapting routes, or investing in short-term maintenance. Impact on labor and social security costs: If an increase in the contribution base is ultimately required to access early retirement, many self-employed workers will have to reorganize their finances, which may also affect their operating expense decisions. Differences between the self-employed and salaried workers: The current request only affects self-employed transport operators. This may generate a parallel debate about whether salaried drivers should have access to a similar scheme, opening a new front in labor relations within the sector.

Although this measure focuses on Social Security, its effects will be felt in all sectors linked to transport, including truck parts. Some possible repercussions are:

• Change in the customer profile: if a significant number of self-employed drivers opt for early retirement, demand from this group could decrease, at least directly.However, there may also be a transfer of vehicles or activity to other professionals, while total demand remains the same. Fleet aging: If some carriers decide to extend the use of their vehicles until retirement, there could be a greater need for maintenance parts and spares to extend the lifespan of the trucks. Investment planning: Carriers approaching retirement may choose not to renew their vehicles, but rather to maintain them in optimal condition until their last year of activity, generating sales opportunities for wear parts and preventive maintenance. New business opportunities: Early retirement could lead to the entry of new, younger carriers or the reorganization of fleets, opening the door to a new customer profile that will need advice, technical service, and quality components to start or consolidate their business. Segmentation of offers: It may be beneficial to adapt promotions, campaigns, or maintenance packages to different profiles, differentiating between drivers approaching the end of their careers. their careers and those who are starting or expanding their businesses.

Despite the optimism with which many transport workers receive the possibility of early retirement, there are several aspects to consider:

• The procedure can be lengthy: although the application has already been submitted, the resolution can take several months or even years. There is no guarantee of immediate approval.
• Possible political or technical opposition: the cost to the pension system and the need to rigorously justify each measure may slow down the process or limit its scope.
• Demanding eligibility requirements: the application of coefficients may come with very specific conditions (number of years of contributions in the activity, percentage of income as a transporter, etc.) that restrict access.
• Inequalities within the sector: if only some groups can retire earlier, it may create a climate of inequality that affects market equilibrium and labor relations.
• Short-term economic impact: if an increase in the contribution base has to be assumed, even if partially subsidized, it may affect the liquidity of many self-employed workers, especially those in the final stage of their activity.

The proposed early retirement for self-employed transport drivers marks a key moment in the evolution of the sector. It is not merely a social or labor measure, but a structural change that could influence all actors in the transport ecosystem: from the drivers themselves to logistics companies, workshops, dealerships, and spare parts suppliers.

Professional driving is a demanding activity that deserves recognition and protection. If this measure is implemented, it will transform how we understand a transport driver's career. And those of us who work in this field must be prepared to adapt to this new stage, anticipating needs, offering solutions, and supporting drivers every kilometer of their journey… until the very last one.