ACEA

Economic crisis strikes road freight transport

September 2009 – Amid the economic crisis, road freight transport has decreased by up to 30%, according to a recent survey in 74 countries by the International Road Transport Union (IRU)*.

In particular,

• Domestic road freight transport output (in tonnekilometre) has decreased by 10-20%;
• International road freight transport output (in tonnekilometre) is down by 20 to 30%;
• Revenue development (domestic transport) decreased by 10 to 20%;
• Revenue development (international transport) decreased by 20 to 30%;
• Freight transport rates are down by more than 10%;
• Driver employment has decreased by more than 10%;
• Bankruptcies are up by at least 20%.

With transport operators struggling to get through the crisis, demand for commercial vehicles has crashed, too. European commercial vehicle registrations were down 37.2% in the first half of 2009. Order intakes for heavy trucks were down 83% in the first half of the year, and registrations decreased by 41.3%.

* Average figures for the 74 IRU member countries

• IRU Press Release: Impact of economic crisis on the road freight transport sector keeps worsening
• Commercial vehicles: sharpest downturn ever

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