The Slovak road freight transport sector - 2022

With inflation at a record high of 12.8% in 2022 (and remaining high albeit somewhat lower in 2023), the Slovak economy slowed considerably, despite significant growth in the automotive sector (22.4%), the mainstay of the Slovak economy. Between 2019 and 2022, the per-kilometre cost of RFT rose by 29%, mainly due to the rise in the cost of drivers, fuel, vehicles and maintenance.

The Slovak road haulage sector is finding difficult to keep pace with the country's economic recovery in a situation where drivers are in short supply and costs have risen sharply. Against the backdrop of a tight labour market, Slovak hauliers are not shy about increasing rates of pay for drivers. With travel allowances, already as high as they can go, the gross basic salary for a typical driver has risen to 1,280€ per month, a level commonly observed on the Iberian Peninsula in pre-Covid period. Over the 2019-2022 perio, the hourly cost of an international driver continued to rise steadily, climbing 23%.

Slovak hauliers respond swiftly to these economic challenges. RFT organisations have reacted by encouraging their members to implement diesel indexation and by introducing a draft collective agreement for the sector, both signs that the sector is beginning to mature, despite its low-cost reputation.

The CNR invites you to discover this new study which provides all the details on the Slovak RFT.