Digital tachograph from July: fewer vehicles, longer transit times, higher prices?

From 1 July, the EU's Mobility Package I extends the requirement for a digital tachograph to vans between 2.5 and 3.5 tonnes whenever they are used for cross-border operations or cabotage. For the first time, the light commercial vehicle class will be subject to rules previously reserved for heavy goods traffic: installation of a second-generation smart tachograph, compliance with driving and rest time regulations and — depending on deployment — posting obligations for drivers. Vehicles used purely on domestic routes remain outside the scope.

The industry is largely unprepared. According to a survey by the International Road Transport Union, nearly nine out of ten affected vehicles have yet to be retrofitted; only around a quarter of companies consider themselves fully prepared by the deadline. The main obstacles cited by operators are limited workshop capacity, installation costs and unresolved technical questions.

The impact on prices is foreseeable. Mandatory breaks and rest periods reduce the kilometres a van can legally cover in a day; fixed costs are spread across fewer miles. In a survey by Trans.eu among members of the logistics association ARILOG, three quarters of respondents anticipate a significant rise in cost per kilometre, and all surveyed companies plan to increase their rates. Half also expect noticeably longer transit times on international routes. At the same time, they expect smaller operators unable to absorb the investment to exit the market.

"Some providers are retrofitting, some are switching to other vehicle sizes, some are stopping altogether. The net effect is less available capacity," says Timm Trede, CEO of zipmend. For shippers, this means one thing above all: anyone purchasing cross-border express shipments should expect higher prices and a tighter supply from the summer onwards — particularly on the long international corridors where the majority of vans already operate today.

Press contact:

Timm Trede
press@zipmend.com