A situation that not long ago was described as difficult is now being openly called an existential crisis by many business owners. The trigger for escalating tensions is the sharp rise in fuel prices, driven by the geopolitical situation and higher crude oil prices on global markets.
Fuel prices keep climbing week by week
In Germany, the scale of the increases is particularly visible. Data from the ADAC motoring club shows that the average price of a litre of diesel has reached €2.288, up by 12.6 cents in a week.
At peak times in recent days, prices were even higher. Diesel came close to the historic record from March 2022, reaching €2.310 per litre.
Behind the increases are, above all, tensions in the Middle East and rising Brent crude prices, which at times exceeded $110 per barrel.
Costs that erode profitability
Higher fuel prices immediately affect the results of transport companies. Business owners have no doubt that the scale of the burden is starting to spiral out of control.
The example from Germany is telling. Markus Barth, the owner of a fleet of 60 trucks, estimates that additional fuel costs are now around €25,000 per week.
According to Barth, who spoke to the newspaper “Nordkurier”, this is only part of the problem. Even earlier, the industry was hit by rising tolls. After the increase in December 2023, monthly costs rose from around €1,000 to €1,800 per vehicle.
An additional burden is so-called empty runs, which account for about 20% of long-haul routes. These are costs that cannot be passed on to the customer.
Germany: protests already on the streets
Carriers’ growing frustration has begun to turn into action. On 25 March in Cottbus, a protest took place during which a convoy of around 50 trucks drove through the city.
The industry sent a clear message: “If we stop, the whole country stops.” Carriers stress that without road transport, deliveries to shops and supply chains simply do not function.
The protests coincided with a conference of transport ministers, which further strengthened their political message.
France: nationwide mobilisation
In France, protests are only just gaining momentum, but their scale could be much larger. The OTRE organisation is announcing a series of actions in different regions of the country.
On 28 March, carriers will take to the streets in Lyon and Clermont-Ferrand. Further mobilisations are planned, among others, in the Île-de-France region and in Occitanie, where a protest is scheduled for 1 April in Toulouse.
“The time to act has come. Today, anger has replaced incomprehension,” OTRE representatives emphasise. The organisation warns that companies are on the brink of bankruptcy and that the government’s current measures are insufficient.
The industry is calling, among other things, for:
- a flat-rate surcharge per vehicle, modelled on the solutions from 2022,
- immediate and targeted fuel discounts.
According to the organisation’s estimates, the disappearance of 2,000 small and medium-sized transport companies could cost the state as much as €16 billion.
Italy: the “padroncini” protest
Tensions are also becoming increasingly visible in Italy. In the port of Ravenna, so-called padroncini protested, meaning independent carriers – owners of single trucks. The reason is simple: costs are rising, revenues are falling.
Since the end of February, the price of diesel in Italy has increased by 24%, exceeding €2 per litre. At the same time, haulage rates fell from around €2 per kilometre to €1.6, and in extreme cases even to €1.1.
This means one thing: margins are no longer covering basic operating costs.
Poland: government intervention and industry scepticism
Against this backdrop, Poland is preparing protective measures. The government announced the “Lower Fuel Prices” package, which includes:
- cutting VAT from 23% to 8%,
- reducing excise duty to the EU minimum,
- introducing maximum fuel prices.
In practice, this means an excise duty cut of 29 groszy on petrol and 28 groszy on diesel, and prices could fall by as much as around zł 1.2 per litre.
However, the transport industry is approaching these announcements with considerable caution.
“This solution will not protect Polish jobs, will not extinguish the inflationary impulse, and will not create a shield for entrepreneurship,” says Maciej Wroński, president of Transport Logistyka Polska.
IRU: supply chains at risk across the EU
IRU has also addressed the growing crisis, appealing on 24 March to EU transport ministers for immediate and coordinated action at EU level.
The organisation warns that rising market volatility and supply-side pressure are already translating into record-high fuel prices and real operational disruption. As a result, the continuity of road transport across the Union is at risk.
“Road transport is both highly exposed to fuel price shocks and essential to the EU economy and society. Without swift and coordinated action, there is a real risk of serious disruptions to supply chains and people’s mobility across the Union,” stressed Raluca Marian, IRU EU director.
The scale of the problem is enormous. Fuel prices have increased by 30–35% across the EU since the start of the crisis, while fuel accounts for around one third of transport companies’ operating costs. At the same time, many businesses operate on margins of 1–3%, which makes it virtually impossible to absorb further increases.
IRU also points to growing disruption in transport corridors—from delivery delays and limited fuel availability to the phenomenon of “fuel tourism”, which further destabilises the market.
The organisation warns that uncoordinated actions by member states could lead to fragmentation of the internal market and deepen the crisis.
Europe at a crossroads
The situation in Europe’s transport industry increasingly shows that we are dealing not only with a cost crisis, but also a structural one. In many countries, carriers point to unfair competition and the lack of a coordinated fuel policy that would protect the internal market.
The protests that are just beginning may only be the start of a broader movement. As industry representatives stress, if current measures do not deliver results, the next steps could be far more radical. One thing is certain: road transport—the lifeblood of the European economy—has reached a critical point.
