Truck toll on federal roads increases logistic costs by 2 billion euros annually

Despite initially unchanged toll rates, the regional expansion of truck tolls to an additional 40,000 kilometers of federal highways from 1 July 2018 onwards will result in a significant cost increase in freight transport of up to € 2 billion annually. This is indicated by the Federal Association of Freight Forwarding and Logistics (AMÖ), the Federal Association of Parcel and Express Logistics (BIEK), the Federal Association of Freight Transport and Disposal (BGL), the German Association of Business, Transport and Logistics (BWVL) and the German Freight Forwarding and Logistics Association (DSLV).

In view of the enormous maintenance requirements of the transport infrastructure, the performance of German logistics has to be secured by two financing pillars. The extension of the truck toll is the consequence of a polluter/user financing policy - in addition to regular tax financing. But because of this, the logistics and transport associations demand that the additional financial contributions be used for dedicated maintenance of roads and bridges, over many years.

The share of toll costs within total costs (vehicles, personnel and overhead costs) is up to 10 percent, but this can vary greatly, depending on route structuring and the location of the company and its customers. By claiming universal availability of all goods at any place and at any time, industry, commerce and the customers themselves are the direct originators of freight transport. The regional expansion of the truck toll on all federal highways on 1 July 2018 may therefore also affect freight and consumer prices. In the end, infrastructure financing through the freight toll will play out as a consumer tax.

AMÖ, BIEK, BGL, BWVL and DSLV expressly welcome the Federal Government's commitment to uniform toll rates on motorways and federal highways. This contributes to the transparent cost presentation of transport companies to their customers and negates the disadvantages of companies located in rural areas. The federal associations do not expect much extra traffic on rural roads, because toll-free detours usually lead to significant delays, and this will negate any monetary benefits. So this would not be in the interest of customers.

In addition to the toll expansion on July 1, 2018, new toll charges are expected at the beginning of 2019, again subject to a change in toll rates. To prepare for the next cost hike, the associations demand sufficient time to plan for logistics, industry and trade for at least six months, calculated from 1 July 2018. This would make the new toll rates effective as of 1 January 2019 at the earliest.

For more information: www.bgl-ev.de