The Spanish road freight transport sector - 2020

The Spanish road freight transport (RFT) sector stands out in Europe due to the large number of collective agreements in force in the country. There is a total of 55 collective agreements, equivalent to one collective agreement per province. Of these 55 collective agreements, 30 are currently in force. Wages differ very significantly from one province to another, depending on the applicable collective agreement. In 2020, the gross annual salary of a driver ranged from €27,498 in the province of Vizcaya (Basque Country) to €13,034 in the province of Orense (Galicia), i.e. varying by a factor of two. Due to these large disparities, CNR has decided to focus its analysis on two autonomous communities: the Basque Country and Catalonia. Two reasons explain this choice: the geographical proximity of these provinces to France and their competition with the French RFT sector. 

This latest study highlights several developments. Driver cost in Catalonia has increased by 9.7% since 2015 – from €37,890/year to €41,565/year in 2020. This is mainly due to an increase in the legal minimum wage set out in collective agreements, both in terms of basic gross salary and travel allowances. Driver cost is not the only cost item to have risen since 2015. Tolls increased by 25% compared to 2015, mainly due to a general increase in tolls throughout Europe, particularly in Germany, and the Belgium’s adoption of a mileage-based tax. Maintenance and repairs were also affected (up 18.2% compared to 2015), as was the cost of ownership (up 8.2%). In contrast, insurance costs fell by 13% compared to 2015.

According to CNR calculations, the cost per kilometre of a Spanish 40-tonne heavy goods vehicle used for international long-distance transport, excluding overhead costs, is €0.89 (compared with €0.84 in 2015), an increase of more than 6% compared with the last study. 

CNR is pleased to publish its latest study on the Spanish RFT sector.