IRU’s General Assembly and transport councils brought together members from around the world to connect, discuss and decide on key issues.
Two eventful days in Geneva saw IRU members elect a new Secretary General, adopt a new fuel crisis mechanism and a new Charter for Women in Road Transport, among a host of other key discussions and decisions.
New Secretary General
Habib Turki was appointed as the new Secretary General by IRU’s General Assembly.
He will officially take over as IRU Secretary General from Umberto de Pretto on 1 August 2026.
New fuel crisis mechanism
IRU members have unanimously adopted a resolution calling for a fuel crisis mechanism and urging governments to work with road transport operators on the development of contingency plans.
The fuel crisis mechanism includes both immediate and long-term actions.
The ongoing energy crisis formed a key part of the agenda. Among the various presentations on the topic, Dr Ayed Al-Qahtani, OPEC's Director of Research, provided a timely overview of the situation and the road ahead.
New women charter
The commercial road transport industry is committed to improving its efficiency, attractiveness and professionalism – notably in responding to challenges in workforce and skills shortages.
The Charter for Women in Road Transport, adopted at the 2026 IRU General Assembly in Geneva, advances six core principles to open the industry to more women.
Passenger council
In addition to debating the two new IRU policy positions, IRU’s passenger transport council discussed bus rapid transit (BRT) systems in Türkiye, Denmark, the UK and Mexico.
By giving buses dedicated space and priority on the road, BRT systems deliver high-capacity, reliable and flexible urban mobility. They help move more people faster, reduce congestion, and simplify public transport.
The following BRT examples were examined:
- Istanbul’s Metrobüs, presented by Yavuzhan Bekiryazici, Istanbul Metrobus System
- Aalborg’s PlusBus, presented by Michael Nielsen, IRU member DPT
- London’s Superloop, presented by Graham Vidler, IRU member CPT
- BRT systems in Mexico, presented by Virginia Olalde Lopez-Gavito, IRU member CANAPAT
The meeting also focused on new technical and regulatory developments affecting buses and coaches, initiatives to address anti-social behaviour and violence in transport, and the IRU-coordinated bus donation initiative.
Goods council
Similarly, IRU’s goods transport council explored a wide range of pressing operational, regulatory and policy issues alongside the two resolutions.
Topics covered by external and IRU speakers included:
- Manoeuvring in a challenging global environment, presented by Hidenobu Tokuda, UNCTAD
- War in Iran and escalating fuel prices, IRU member ASTIC and IRU
- TIR transport routes in the Middle East and China, IRU
- eTIR implementation strategy and milestones, IRU
- eCMR operationalisation, IRU
- Cargo crime developments and solutions, IRU
- Driver visa challenges across the globe, IRU
- The shortage of professional drivers, IRU
- Skills training and driver mobility, IRU
- Patents in commercial road transport, Christopher Harrison, WIPO
- Decarbonisation calculation tools, IRU
Annual report
Following the General Assembly’s approval of IRU’s 2025 financial accounts, the IRU annual report is now available online.
The report highlights notable outcomes – in terms of advocacy, the TIR system, certification and standards, intelligence and events – globally and across seven strategic regions.
