Official records show that out of 458,200 entities registered in the road transport sector, 6,700 are in financial distress. Importantly, the crisis does not affect companies alone – small entrepreneurs, particularly the self-employed, are also being hit hard. In the first half of 2025 alone, almost 260,000 individuals declared bankruptcy, including many sole traders.
There are many reasons behind the collapse, but the most common is the rising cost of operating a transport business. The average freight rate in May 2025 was 66 roubles (€0.71) per kilometre, while costs reached 82 roubles (€0.88). The increase in fuel prices (by 15–20%) and the disappearance of supplier discounts that larger companies once enjoyed have only made matters worse.
“Transport costs in the first half of 2025 increased by 15% due to rising fuel prices, equipment servicing and driver salaries,” Mikhail Ustyuzhanin, president of Lider Trans, told Izvestia.
Falling transport rates have become a scourge for Russian hauliers. In February 2025, rates fell by almost one-third compared with the previous year, and combined with inflation in operating costs, margins have been severely squeezed.
Another major burden is financial pressure. The mass return of leased vehicles since late 2024 and a 20% monthly rise in such returns from June 2025 have become an alarming signal for the sector.
“Such a situation has not occurred in 17 years,” adds Ustyuzhanin.
Shippers’ own fleets
Another factor worsening the outlook for smaller hauliers is the rapid expansion of in-house truck fleets by retail chains and e-commerce marketplaces. These companies are increasingly handling deliveries themselves, shrinking the pool of outsourced transport orders.
By the end of the year, the market may face a liquidity shortage. Banks have already tightened lending criteria, and this trend is expected to continue.
Forecasts suggest that in 2026, a further 7% of road hauliers may disappear from the Russian market. Companies with high leasing commitments are especially vulnerable.
Regulatory changes tighten the screws
Additional pressure will come from an increase in recycling fees, which will rise by another 10% on 1 January 2026 – to almost 3 million roubles (€32,000) for a tractor unit with a capacity of up to 20 tonnes.
With annual indexation of 10–20% planned until 2030, purchasing vehicles from foreign manufacturers will become unprofitable for many hauliers. This will hinder fleet renewal and may lead to further constraints in transport capacity, says Alexander Zaretsky, first deputy general director of the transport company Baikal-Service TK.
For clarity: Russia’s recycling (or disposal) fee is charged primarily to importers and manufacturers of motor vehicles. Its purpose is to fund the collection, transport and processing of end-of-life vehicles.
From 1 January 2026, Russian hauliers will also lose access to simplified taxation schemes. In addition, electronic waybills and a mandatory register of forwarders will be introduced. Although these measures aim to curb abuses by unscrupulous actors (estimated to exceed 60% of the market), they will simultaneously increase administrative costs for companies.
In these circumstances, the mass exit of transport companies from the market comes as no surprise.
“The mass return of vehicles to lessors is breaking records. European brands have disappeared, along with the previous investment model in which a haulier could recover their investment within a few years by selling used equipment,” says Alexei Ivanov, owner of the Alliance Trax commercial vehicle dealership network.
“Hauliers simply cannot cope financially,” he adds.
