Newsroom

Improving laws, governance, compliance, skills certification and operating conditions to drive safer, cleaner and more efficient commercial road transport is the aim of a new sector reform guide from the World Bank and IRU.

IRU has called on the United Nations to establish global standards for professional drivers, warning that inconsistent qualifications are undermining road safety and efficiency worldwide.

IRU was back in Togo recently at a major international seminar on transport and research in Sub-Saharan Africa presenting, with the World Bank, how countries can reform their road transport sector to transform mobility and trade.

IRU joined the European Commission’s Implementation Dialogue on Fair Labour Mobility in Brussels yesterday, highlighting practical, future-oriented proposals to simplify the application of EU labour rules and secure a sustainable workforce.

IRU acknowledges the European Parliament’s plenary vote on the revised Package Travel Directive but warns that unresolved provisions still threaten the viability of Europe’s coach tourism sector, especially SMEs.

IRU welcomes the Commission’s new guidance on vehicle data, published as the EU Data Act becomes applicable across the bloc. Operators now have a clear legal right to access and share vehicle-generated data. Together, these measures are a major step towards fairer and more transparent data use in road transport. Yet challenges remain, notably around the scope of trade secret exemptions.

A new IRU survey has, for the first time, assessed the current decarbonisation status and future investment plans of commercial road transport operators globally.

In a letter to EU Member States, IRU has urged swift agreement on the Council’s general approach to the revision of the Weights and Dimensions Directive.

Did you know that buses make up only 0.3% of all EU passenger vehicles yet carry nearly 9% of total inland passenger traffic? That the Italian fleet accounts for over 20% of all EU bus transport? Or that the number of electric buses in the EU grew by 4,600% between 2015 and 2024? We take a comprehensive look at bus and coach operations in the EU in our passenger transport Intelligence Briefing.

The European travel and tourism sector has expressed deep concern over the European Commission’s recent proposal to increase the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) travel authorisation fee from EUR 7 to EUR 20 per application, nearly a threefold increase compared to the original amount agreed in 2018.

Since 1 July 2025, public transport in Flanders, Belgium, has become significantly greener, thanks to the private bus sector.

At today’s high-level dialogue on accelerating the transition to zero-emission corporate fleets in the EU, IRU’s President stressed the importance of removing real-world barriers, rather than imposing damaging, counterproductive mandates.

The Swedish Bus and Coach Federation, IRU member and the national voice for Sweden’s bus operators, has launched a joint initiative with the Swedish Sports Confederation to strengthen safety and simplify booking for sports teams, one of the sector’s most frequent user groups.

Morocco and Italy are aligning to raise and harmonise professional driver qualification standards – unlocking international work opportunities.

One year after the adoption of the Rhodes Declaration, Europe’s leading tourism and travel organisations are in Gothenburg to renew and strengthen their shared commitment to sustainability and climate resilience.

The European Commission’s proposal to extend toll exemptions for zero-emission heavy-duty vehicles is a welcome step but broader Eurovignette reforms are still urgently needed.

IRU welcomes progress on the Package Travel Directive but urges fairer rules for coach tourism operators.

The Netherlands is a European leader in taxi decarbonisation: one in four taxis are zero-emission vehicles. But as the country pushes forward, a critical question emerges: how effective are the increasingly ambitious greening targets if the conditions needed to achieve them are not yet in place?

IRU welcomes today’s votes by the European Parliament’s Committee on Transport and Tourism (TRAN) on new rules for enforcing passenger rights in the EU and in multimodal journeys but warns that some proposals risk placing excessive burdens on bus and coach operators.

IRU joined key EU stakeholders at a high-level Implementation Dialogue on the rollout of the Emissions Trading System 2 (ETS2) and the Social Climate Fund (SCF), cornerstones of the EU’s climate strategy.

The EU’s road transport sector is already decarbonising. But scaling up progress requires smart regulation, targeted investment and coordinated action. This was the central message from IRU’s recent high-level conference in Brussels.

Road transport operators are beginning to invest in new vehicles. But for the decarbonisation transition to succeed, the sector needs clear, coordinated support. EU policymakers and road transport industry leaders are coming together to debate practical and scalable solutions to deliver environmental and economic benefits at IRU’s high-level event tomorrow in Brussels.

IRU was at the heart of last week’s International Transport Forum (ITF) summit in Leipzig, championing pragmatic solutions to make road transport not only greener, but also more resilient and competitive in the face of global challenges.

Leading the dialogue on the future of automation in road transport at EUCAD 2025, IRU organised a workshop on AI and logistics, ensuring that the voice of operators was central to Europe’s cooperative, connected and automated mobility (CCAM) agenda.

IRU welcomes today’s vote by the European Parliament’s Transport and Tourism Committee endorsing the provisional Driving Licence Directive agreement reached during trilogue. This follows recent formal approval by the Council’s Committee of Permanent Representatives, the first of the EU co-legislators to back the deal. The reform responds to long-standing industry calls to address driver shortages and promote the digitalisation of driving licences while upholding high road safety standards.

IRU joins the global call this week for safer roads, reinforcing the need to formalise, professionalise and certify the commercial road transport sector across the globe.

IRU’s General Assembly and councils brought together members from around the world for two days of discussions on opportunities to boost competitiveness, mitigate cargo crime, advance decarbonisation, overcome driver shortages and navigate economic shifts.

IRU, the world road transport organisation, has published its 2024 annual report, highlighting key achievements in advancing safe, efficient and sustainable road transport during a challenging year.

How far along is the road freight sector on its journey to net-zero? We shared exclusive insights from the IRU Green Compact survey during our latest webinar with leading players from the sector, revealing how companies are navigating challenges and reshaping investment strategies and operations.

IRU welcomes Germany’s coalition agreement as a step forward for a pragmatic and enabling approach to decarbonising commercial road transport. But the lack of concrete support measures for clean fuels alongside zero-emission vehicles is a missed opportunity.

The European Commission’s proposal for the revision of the Roadworthiness Package is a timely and necessary step to modernise outdated EU rules. It strikes a positive balance between enhancing road safety and embracing digital solutions, while avoiding unnecessary burdens for commercial road transport operators.

IRU and Lease Europe brought together EU lawmakers and industry leaders in Strasbourg today to chart a realistic path forward to green corporate fleets.

DLL, a global leader in asset finance solutions for equipment and technology, has partnered with IRU to accelerate the transition to electric vehicles.

IRU welcomes the provisional agreement reached following trilogue negotiations between EU institutions on the revision of the EU Driving Licence Directive. The outcome reflects long-standing priorities of the road transport sector and supports efforts to ensure road safety and alleviate the growing shortage of professional drivers.

We have expanded the IRU fuel price service to include weekly updates for alternative fuels and one-week price forecasts.