Key takeaways
- 456 Belgian transport companies went bankrupt in the first half of 2026 — a new record.
- In the second quarter of 2026 alone, 105 road freight bankruptcies were recorded.
- 58% of the companies that failed had been operating for more than five years.
- The higher per-kilometre charge introduced on 1 July is expected to push costs up further.
Road freight again among the hardest-hit sectors
Belgium recorded 6,267 company bankruptcies in the first half of 2026 — the highest first-half total on record, according to business information provider GraydonCreditsafe.
Road haulage remains among the sectors under the greatest pressure. Between January and June, 456 transport companies filed for bankruptcy. That is 12.7% more than in the same period a year earlier and the highest half-year figure reported for the industry.
ITLB data points in the same direction. In the second quarter of 2026, 105 Belgian transport firms went bankrupt — two more than in the already weak quarter a year earlier.
Not just start-ups: established operators are failing too
A notable shift is that financial distress is increasingly affecting longer-established businesses. ITLB reports that 58% of the companies that went under had been operating for more than five years.
The bankruptcy of the Belgian Ziegler Group — one of the larger names in the sector — also drew attention. GraydonCreditsafe notes, however, that insolvencies still mainly affect small and medium-sized carriers. The pressure is also visible elsewhere in the market, including a family haulier entering liquidation in the UK. In total, bankruptcies in the transport sector impacted 1,148 jobs in the first half of the year.
Extra cost pressure since July
The published bankruptcy figures cover the period before the new toll rates took effect on 1 July. Even so, industry groups view the additional charges as another burden for a market that was already under significant pressure.
As Febetra said in early July, internationally active transport companies should expect extra costs of up to €12,000 per truck per year due to higher per-kilometre charges in Belgium and the Netherlands. For operators running only within Belgium, the association estimates the additional burden at around €3,000 per vehicle.
In addition, ITLB says operating costs in June were already 6.15% higher than a year earlier. This comes alongside broader compliance and enforcement risks for operators, illustrated by cases where a roadside stop can cost an operator its licence.
Market consolidation likely to continue
Febetra believes profitability remains tight for many companies. Rising wage and operating costs are colliding with intense competition, making it particularly difficult for smaller hauliers to pass increases fully on to customers.
It is still too early to say whether the higher tolls will drive bankruptcies higher. However, the latest data underlines that Belgian road transport was already in a difficult position before the most recent cost increase, amid broader regulatory uncertainty for internationally active fleets, including the EU’s new “real establishment” test. For many operators, liquidity buffers and tighter cost control are likely to be decisive in the months ahead.
