The dynamics of road transport: what’s moving across the EU

In this IRU Intelligence Briefing, we delve into the key trends shaping road transport in the EU: Which types of goods dominate road freight? How do trip distances vary by product category? What are the main trade routes within the EU, and which goods flow across them?

Explore the answers to these questions and gain insights into the critical role of road transport in Europe's supply chains.

In 2023, road freight accounted for over 78% of the total inland freight volumes in the EU, representing about 1.9 trillion tonne-kilometres. Other IRU Intelligence Briefings assess general trend of freight volumes, transported by a variety of vehicle combinations, and by hundreds of thousands of transport operators. This analysis takes a detailed look at the composition of freight, examining the types of goods transported by trucks across the EU.

This Intelligence Briefing begins at the end of the supply chain with consumers, analysing trends in consumption expenditure across goods and countries. Consumption expenditure drives the production of goods and, consequently, their transport, sustaining continuous trade flows across various modes of transport. The analysis is further extended to cover EU exports and imports by transport mode, highlighting intra- and extra-EU trade patterns, identifying the main types of goods transported, and mapping the key corridors in the EU.

The report concludes by examining the composition of goods within road freight operations, delving into logistical details such as distance and payload.

It offers transport operators actionable insights to better size the EU market and adapt their operations.