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Heavy-duty hydrogen transport has reached a pivotal stage. As Erwin Penfornis, Air Liquide’s Vice-President of Hydrogen Energy World Business Line, emphasises, the solutions already exist and are fully industrialised. The challenge now is creating the right economic conditions and deploying vehicles, fuel and infrastructure in unison to trigger full market activation.

The Upply x Ti x IRU European road freight rates report on Q3 2026 found that both benchmarks levelled off at record levels after sharp increases in the first half of the year. Contract rates rose to 148.9 index points, a modest 0.8-point increase quarter on quarter (QoQ) and 14.6 points higher year on year (YoY). Spot rates followed the same path, edging up 0.8 points QoQ to 147.6 index points, 12.9 points higher YoY. The driver was cost rather than demand: average diesel price reached a record

At the 10th TRT World Forum in Istanbul, IRU put the spotlight on the critical role of road transport in improving regional connectivity, trade and supply chain resilience.

The European Commission’s first-ever EU Sustainable Tourism Strategy marks an important milestone in establishing a common EU vision for a more competitive, sustainable, resilient and inclusive tourism sector.

European trucking capacity provider Egala has joined IRU as its newest member, bringing experience from a large international fleet and a strong focus on sustainability, digitalisation and workforce development.

IRU welcomes a major political shift in the European Parliament, where MEPs have challenged the European Commission’s approach to corporate fleet decarbonisation and backed more realistic CO₂ targets and greater technology neutrality for vans. The votes mark an important success for the commercial road transport sector and reinforce a clear message: decarbonisation cannot be achieved through purchasing mandates disconnected from market realities.

Battery-electric vehicle adoption remains concentrated among larger operators and on shorter routes. But large-scale deployment can also help create the conditions for others to follow, Amazon’s Andreas Marschner told us.

At IRU and TransFollow’s eCMR webinar, industry experts discussed how digitalisation is improving operational efficiency, while uneven adoption, customer readiness and interoperability challenges remain as Europe prepares for eFTI.

IRU is closely following developments at the EU–Türkiye border and the road transport industry’s overall concerns over Schengen entry and stay rules affecting its drivers, including in the Western Balkans. These concerns must be addressed to keep vital supply chains moving.

IRU member the Federal Association of German Bus and Coach Companies (bdo) has named three winners of its inaugural Top Bus Destination awards, recognising practical measures that make it easier for coaches to bring visitors to cities, attractions and landmarks.

IRU and the Asian Institute of Logistics (ASIL) are establishing a new training and certification programme for professional drivers in Malaysia to advance road safety and supply chain efficiency.

Electric trucks are slowly getting cheaper, ranges are improving and the technology is ready to scale in many instances in Europe. DSV’s Anders Rousing explains why operators should start learning now – even before the business case is fully here.

IRU Secretary General Habib Turki met with senior leaders from Türkiye’s business community and the Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC) to advance regional connectivity, facilitate international trade and remove barriers.

IRU’s President and Secretary General participated in the 48th BSEC-URTA General Assembly in Istanbul, marking 25 years of cooperation and calling for stronger regional connectivity, faster border crossings and practical solutions to today’s challenges.

At the New Silk Way Forum in Kazakhstan, IRU called for internationally harmonised digital tools to facilitate cross-border trade, warning that disconnected national systems risk creating new barriers rather than removing existing ones.

IRU calls on the European Commission to provide targeted support to road transport operators amidst surging diesel prices and reaffirms its commitment to dialogue.

IRU called for faster grid connections, affordable energy, accessible financing and fit-for-purpose regulation at two major Brussels policy events, as the EU negotiates its grids package and prepares to review the Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Regulation (AFIR).

IRU member KazATO has signed up to implement IRU Examiner through its training centre to strengthen national capacity for professional training, examinations and certification.

Disruptions – congestion, border delays, capacity shortages and changing rules – are part of daily operations. Digitalisation cannot remove that uncertainty, but it can help to react faster. CEVA Logistics provides one example of how.

IRU welcomes the opinions adopted today by the European Parliament’s Committee on Transport and Tourism and the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy on CO₂ emission standards for cars and light commercial vehicles, supporting more realistic targets for vans and a role for sustainable fuels in the transition.

Seven in ten operators say customers won’t pay the extra cost of greener transport, according to IRU and Trimble’s 2026 Green Compact survey.

Customs leaders from across the Organization of Turkic States have reaffirmed their support for expanding TIR and eTIR, placing them at the heart of stronger regional connectivity and faster, more secure border crossings.

HARMO, a new Horizon Europe project, will help automated vehicles better anticipate real-world human behaviour. IRU leads the work on safety acceptance, regulatory evidence and policy engagement.

IRU welcomed a high-level Chinese delegation in Geneva, bringing together automotive associations CATARC and CASIC, as well as companies BYD, Huawei, Xiaomi and Great Wall Motor, for an in-depth exchange on the global road transport sector.

Georgia’s Land Transport Agency will strengthen professional standards in road transport by implementing IRU Examiner for the examination and certification of drivers and transport managers.

Efficient borders, modern regulation and stronger professional standards must advance together for Eurasian transport corridors to deliver their full economic potential, experts stressed at the IRU-UN-OHRLLS dialogue in Astana, Kazakhstan.

Diesel pump prices have eased slightly from their late-September record, but they are edging up again. Wholesale market diesel is back where it was a month ago, at around USD 200 a barrel. What has changed is what makes up that price: the refining premium that drove it in September has halved, and higher crude and shipping costs have taken its place. Crude is flowing out of the Middle East again, but diesel is not, and refineries elsewhere are already running close to their limits. The IEA now e

New IRU Secretary General Habib Turki and UNECE Executive Secretary Tatiana Molcean have held their first bilateral meeting, setting out priorities to strengthen their longstanding partnership, accelerate digitalisation and expand the reach of international road transport conventions.

The digital ECMT permit system is proving how paperless processes can simplify international road transport. At the latest ITF Group on Road Transport meeting in Rome, IRU called for that momentum to extend to eCMR, eVisas and other cross-border tools, while warning that unresolved AETR issues risk undermining the multilateral permit system.

Two expert panels at IRU member CANACAR’s 2026 National Convention looked at how tougher cabotage, visa and language rule enforcement can lead to more efficient and competitive cross-border trade in North America. IRU Vice President Iro Doumani added a global perspective to the debate.

Together with its member the Irish Road Haulage Association (IRHA), IRU held high-level talks with Sean Canney, Ireland’s Minister of State for Transport, on how the Irish Presidency of the Council of the European Union and the road transport sector can work together to deliver practical progress for operators.

IRU regrets the Irish Presidency’s intention to cut transport funding under the Connecting Europe Facility. Europe’s competitiveness, climate and security ambitions depend on stronger infrastructure investment.

What does it take for a town to welcome coaches? IRU member the Confederation of Passenger Transport (CPT) answers that question through its Coach Friendly scheme. It accredits destinations that invest in coach parking, signage and facilities, and encourages local authorities to plan for coaches.

Legal experts, academics and transport practitioners gathered in Bucharest to mark 70 years of the CMR Convention and discuss how it can remain fit for the digital era. IRU President Radu Dinescu placed SMEs at the centre of the digital transition, calling for simple and cost-efficient solutions.

IRU and Transport & Environment (T&E) are calling on the European Commission to establish a supportive EU framework for semi-private charging as part of the upcoming review of the Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Regulation (AFIR).