IRU members and road transport companies are continuing to rise to the challenge of the war in Ukraine. The sense of solidarity and responsibility is strong across the industry in helping all those caught up in this crisis.
Bus and coach companies and IRU members in many countries are spontaneously offering help to evacuate people from Ukraine. IRU is steering discussions currently to coordinate action and lobby national authorities and regional institutions such as the European Commission to prevent hold-ups at borders for coaches transporting refugees.
Some members are using coaches to transport refugees out of Ukraine, and then medical supplies back on the return journey, before picking up more refugees.
The goods side of the industry is also continuing to mobilise to deliver more humanitarian aid. IRU’s call yesterday, along with Polish member ZMPD, to the industry for trucks to help deliver aid from Poland to Ukraine was met with an enormous response from transport firms and drivers.
Czech, Hungarian, Moldovan, Lithuanian, Romanian and Slovakian members and companies, amongst many others, are also voluntarily delivering aid to Ukraine night and day.
Further afield, IRU members and firms are organising collections to deliver food, water and clothing to refugees, from Ireland and the UK to Scandinavia, Iberia, Turkey and well beyond.
Check out IRU’s social media channels for more details.
Hundreds of truck drivers remain stranded in Ukraine and unable to continue their journey home. They are still being assisted by IRU member AsMAP Ukraine, who are working with local authorities to provide assistance where and however possible. Drivers stranded in other countries around Ukraine, of many nationalities, are also being helped by IRU and members.