Goods road transport

At first glance, the road freight transport sector might seem to be thriving: significant and steady growth in activity and employment, substantial productivity gains, and by far the leading mode of freight transport…

And yet, not everything is going smoothly in the sector. From a social perspective, working hours remain long and wages relatively low, in a tense environment marked by wide variations in pay, tax burdens, and social security contributions across Europe. There is a significant disparity between large, well-established companies and more vulnerable subcontractors. And the importance of transportation in an economy where supply chains are increasingly strained has heightened its vulnerability to the recurring social crises that have shaken the road freight sector.

The industry is also facing growing criticism regarding its environmental impact, its integration into urban areas, its contribution to road safety issues, and the various inconveniences and nuisances it causes. Due to the imperative of carbon neutrality, it will need to completely overhaul its powertrains within the next two decades.

This section aims to describe the state of the road freight transport sector as reflected in various recent surveys and technical literature on the subject.