The German road freight transport sector - 2021

The second largest European sector after Poland in terms of total activity, albeit the leader in terms of domestic activity, the German RFT sector has been experiencing a period of stagnation over the past ten years. It faces direct competition from its eastern neighbours, rising costs and an ever-worsening labour shortage.

In response to these structural problems, the sector receives frequent support from the government, which do not solve them out for long term.

According to CNR calculations, the cost per kilometre of a German 40-tonne heavy goods vehicle used for international long-distance transport increases by 8%. This increase is largely due to a significant increase in driver costs and tolls (+23%).

In conclusion, the overall per-kilometre cost of a German vehicle is evaluated to 1.24 € in 2021. Penalised by rising costs, the German flag is losing out on international business to the Polish, Lithuanian and Romanian sectors. Once the leader in international haulage, in 2021 the German sector ranked only 5th, and is increasingly focusing on its domestic market.
 
CNR invites you to discover this new study which brings details on German RFT with operating conditions in 2021.