Speaking on the Roadway Ireland podcast, Ger Highland, president of the Irish Road Haulage Association (IRHA), outlined a range of financial, regulatory and workforce challenges facing Ireland’s road transport sector.
During the discussion, Highland addressed shrinking margins, driver shortages, licensing delays, fuel and toll costs, and the association’s position on alternative fuels and electric trucks, warning that many operators are struggling to absorb rising costs.
Cost pressure and market strain
Highland said profitability in Irish road haulage has declined sharply over recent decades. According to him, average margins now stand at between 3% and 5%, leaving operators with little capacity to absorb cost increases.
“That margin, that fat, is not there any longer,” he said.
He pointed to fuel taxes, VAT, levies and labour-related charges, arguing that more than a third of hauliers’ turnover now goes directly to the state. As an example, he described an operator with 31 employees who, he said, must find over €80,000 this year simply to cover additional costs introduced since January.
Highland added that these pressures are disproportionately affecting smaller operators. While some companies with stable contracts remain viable, he said many small hauliers are being forced out of the market, increasing industry consolidation.
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Driver shortages, licensing delays and training
A key concern raised during the podcast was the lack of drivers. Highland said the average age of drivers in Ireland is close to 60, which he described as a serious risk to the sector’s future.
“Unless we get young people interested and get young people into our industry, our industry is going to die,” he said.
He argued that administrative barriers are worsening the shortage, particularly delays linked to the Road Safety Authority (RSA). According to Highland, progressing from a car licence to a full articulated truck licence can take more than two years, with additional waiting times even after passing HGV tests.
“You can pass your driving test and still be told to come back in 10, 12 or 14 weeks to complete another test,” he said.
Highland also criticised the mandatory Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC) system, describing the course content as outdated and insufficiently tailored to different types of transport work.
“The very same book I used 16 or 18 years ago bears no resemblance to the vehicle I drive today,” he said.
He added that bureaucracy is also limiting recruitment from outside the EU. According to him, the process of hiring drivers from countries such as South Africa — involving work permits, residency cards and CPC recognition — can take close to a year, despite acute labour shortages.
Tolls, fuel policy and technology choices
On infrastructure costs, Highland highlighted toll charges, particularly on the M50 motorway, a key route around Dublin that is frequently used by freight vehicles.
“Every time we go through the toll it’s costing us €7.70,” he said, adding that repeated stops also increase fuel consumption and emissions.
He said the IRHA is calling for toll-free access for licensed hauliers on the M50, noting that the road is state-owned and heavily used by the freight sector.
On decarbonisation, Highland said the industry could significantly cut emissions through wider use of HVO (hydrotreated vegetable oil), but argued that current pricing and tax treatment make this difficult without government support.
“We can green our sector by up to 90% tomorrow morning,” he said.
He also raised concerns about diesel fuel quality in Ireland, claiming that certain blends are contributing to blocked filters and higher maintenance costs in modern vehicles.
Highland was sceptical about the short-term viability of electric trucks in Ireland, citing high vehicle costs, limited charging infrastructure and uncertainty over residual values.
“Electric trucks at the present time are a myth for our country,” he said, adding that diesel remains “the fuel of commerce” for Irish and European road transport.
Warning of growing frustration
Highland said discussions with government representatives are ongoing but warned that frustration within the sector is increasing. While he said he prefers dialogue, he acknowledged that protest action is being considered if no relief measures are introduced.
“My back as leader of this association is up against the wall,” he said, adding that hauliers cannot continue operating under the current cost and tax burden.
