- Four main protest regions: the action has focused primarily on Campania, Calabria, Apulia and Sicily.
- Major routes affected: disruption has hit the A1 and A30 motorways, the SS379 and key transport hubs around Naples and Caserta.
- Fuel shortages: Crotone and Reggio Calabria airports ran short of aviation fuel, while filling stations also faced supply problems.
- Production halted: Rummo suspended manufacturing, Garofalo stopped its lines after semolina deliveries were interrupted, and La Molisana significantly scaled back operations.
- Government takes a harder line: authorities are to identify and report those responsible for blocking roads, while police may escort lorries carrying essential goods.
- Roadblocks remain in some areas: transport organisations in Sicily and Calabria have suspended their protests, but some drivers in Gela say they will continue.
- Another wave expected at the end of the month: a nationwide general strike is scheduled for 30 October, with motorway workers due to begin industrial action at 22:00 on 29 October.
A series of protests by hauliers over high diesel prices has rapidly spread across large parts of southern Italy. In Campania, lorries have gathered near major motorway interchanges and logistics centres around Naples and Caserta, disrupting the A1 between Milan and Naples as well as the A30 between Caserta and Salerno.
Disruption has been reported around Nola, Caserta Sud, Santa Maria Capua Vetere, Caianello and the Maddaloni-Marcianise interports. Queues stretching for several kilometres have formed on some sections.
On 22 October, Italian news agency ANSA reported that the government was taking a tougher stance on the roadblocks. Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi instructed prefects and police chiefs to monitor the situation and respond to illegal road closures. Authorities also warned that criminal groups could attempt to exploit the protests.
The government has also promised to keep essential goods moving. Hauliers who want to continue operating despite the blockades may request a police escort.
According to figures cited by ANSA, around 500 lorries were already travelling under police escort between Naples and the surrounding area.
The mayors of Naples and Bari, meanwhile, warned that further restrictions on deliveries could seriously disrupt the functioning of both cities.
Nola holds out! The hauliers’ strike continues.
Video from half an hour ago
— Vincenzo Tolli (@TolliVincenzo) 22 October 2026
Two airports run out of aviation fuel
One of the most visible effects of the disruption has been the impact on airport supplies. Crotone and Reggio Calabria airports ran out of Jet A-1 fuel, leading to NOTAMs instructing flight crews to plan sufficient reserves before arrival.
The problems extended well beyond aviation. Reports from southern regions described empty fuel pumps and queues outside filling stations. Retailers also began to feel the effects as deliveries slowed.
Empty shelves and strained city supplies
Campania, Calabria, Apulia and Sicily all reported difficulties obtaining fresh food, particularly vegetables, fruit, meat and dairy products. The blockades affected deliveries to shops as well as collections from production sites. Goods that would normally leave warehouses almost immediately began to accumulate instead.
The situation became serious enough for ANSA to report empty markets and businesses preparing to reduce or suspend operations.
Truck blockades are spreading and the government is taking a hard line. The Council of Ministers is meeting today on an aid decree. Truck escorts are planned, while markets and supermarkets in the south have sparse or empty shelves. Businesses threaten to stop. The mayors of Naples and Bari warn: “Cities at risk of paralysis.” #ANSA https://t.co/P2IJvFnZeD
— Agenzia ANSA (@Agenzia_Ansa) 22 October 2026
Rummo and Garofalo halt production
The pasta industry has provided the clearest illustration of how quickly transport disruption can spread through supply chains. Pastificio Rummo in Benevento suspended production after lorries and tankers carrying raw materials stopped arriving at the plant.
Problems were also reported in Gragnano, near Naples. Pastificio Garofalo shut down its production lines after semolina deliveries from Apulia were interrupted.
🇮🇹 A strike by truck drivers is threatening Italian pasta production, with many factories nearly brought to a standstill.
Here is what we know about the situation: https://t.co/6qZdDr4ket
— Marina Wolf (@volkova_ma57183) 22 October 2026
La Molisana in Campobasso did not stop completely, but it sharply reduced output by relying on stock already held in its warehouse.
The experience of these three producers shows that the issue is not limited to a shortage of raw materials. When roads are blocked, factories can also struggle to collect finished pallets and free up warehouse capacity.
Sicily suspends protest, but Gela remains defiant
The situation is further complicated by the lack of a single organisation directing the action.
Transport organisations in Sicily announced a suspension of their mobilisation and began removing some roadblocks. A similar decision was taken in Calabria.
That does not mean the protest has ended everywhere.
In Gela, Sicily, some hauliers remain on strike. Dozens of lorries are still parked at the roundabout on the SS117 bis road between Gela and Catania.
The protesters argue that the agreements reached so far do not resolve the sector’s problems. They say the measures now being announced had already been promised, diesel prices remain high, and they want concrete results rather than further statements.
That distinction matters for drivers heading to Sicily: a formal decision by industry organisations to suspend the protest does not automatically mean that every local roadblock has been removed.
Government prepares transport and agriculture support decree
Alongside the police response, the Italian government is preparing a support package for road haulage. ANSA reports that the planned decree will combine measures for the transport industry with support for the agricultural sector. The Council of Ministers is expected to consider the document on 22 October.
The government had previously promised to speed up the release of funds already allocated to hauliers and continue talks on fuel costs. The next meeting between industry representatives and the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport is scheduled for 27 October.
Further A1 disruption expected on 27 October
Separate from the current protests, Italy is due to see more industrial action towards the end of October. On 27 October, fire-safety personnel are expected to strike on the A1 between Incisa and Sasso Marconi.
The stoppage is scheduled for 08:00 to 12:00 and 20:00 to 00:00. Operational restrictions and slower traffic are possible as authorities work to maintain adequate safety coverage.
29–30 October: general strike to hit transport and logistics
More extensive disruption could follow just a few days later. A nationwide general strike covering both the public and private sectors is scheduled for 30 October.
The timetable most relevant to hauliers is as follows:
- rail: from 21:00 on Thursday 29 October until 20:59 on 30 October;
- motorways: from 22:00 on Thursday 29 October;
- aviation: throughout 30 October;
- logistics and freight transport: throughout 30 October, with local arrangements varying by area.
Even if the current wave of blockades fully subsides in the coming days, operators should expect fresh disruption across Italy’s transport network at the end of the month.
How to plan a journey through Italy
Do not assume that every roadblock has been removed. This is particularly important in Campania and in areas with local protests, such as Gela in Sicily.
Check conditions on the A1 and A30 before setting off. The worst disruption in recent days has been reported around Naples, Caserta and Nola.
Allow extra time for refuelling in the south. Local fuel supply problems may continue after the roads reopen, while distribution networks return to normal.
Pay close attention to 27 October and 29–30 October. The first date may bring disruption on a specific section of the A1, while the general strike at the end of the month is set to affect motorways, logistics, rail and aviation at the same time.
The past few days have highlighted southern Italy’s dependence on road freight. Just a few days of restricted lorry movements were enough to disrupt fuel deliveries, supermarket supplies, industrial production and airport operations.
