Newsroom

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).

The China Automobile Standards Internationalization Center (CASIC) has joined IRU as its newest member, strengthening cooperation between China’s automotive industry and the global road transport community.

IRU’s two new EU position papers call for semi-public depot charging and 30-day payment terms for road transport services. They address two practical conditions operators need to invest in zero-emission vehicles and infrastructure: charging access and predictable cash flow.

The World Bank’s new report on the Middle Corridor sets out the scale of investment needed to transform the route into a true economic corridor. But its message is equally clear: infrastructure must be matched by trade facilitation, digitalisation and road transport reform.

At Connecting Europe Days 2026, IRU called for practical rules, infrastructure and investment conditions that can turn the EU’s transport ambitions into reality.

AdBlue is causing operational problems and significant costs for Finnish trucking companies during the winter. The problem is more pronounced in newer trucks.

With an accident rate of just 0.1%, Spain’s bus and coach sector has an exceptional road safety record. IRU member CONFEBUS explains how it got there – and how to maintain it.

Fuel prices are not the only thing going up. Truck tolls in Europe have risen by around 20% since 2023, directly impacting transport costs and operators' bottom lines. Toll regimes changed almost every month across the EU in 2026, and early 2027 looks to be just as busy. The trend is clear: more kilometre-based charging and CO₂ pricing.

The Convenience Express initiative shows how digitalisation, flexible services and coordinated branding can modernise intercity coach transport. Passenger numbers have risen significantly, with some routes increasing more than tenfold. Even some previously discontinued routes have been revived.

The world road transport organisation distances itself from any claims or attempts to suggest that there is a unified position among road transport operators across the EU calling for EU-level intervention on subcontracting.

At the 39th session of the UNECE Working Party on Transport Trends and Economics, IRU highlighted how TIR trucks can turn international transport corridors from lines on a map into resilient operational trade routes.

IRU and bp have joined forces to further develop public charging infrastructure for electric trucks.

IRU brought the perspective of the coach and bus sector to the CIVITAS Forum 2026 in Thessaloniki, Greece, highlighting the need for coordinated urban access rules, investment in infrastructure and modernised skills to make urban mobility more sustainable, inclusive and connected.

Connectivity, innovation and partnerships were on the agenda this week for IRU Secretary General Habib Turki. His series of high-level events and bilateral meetings with Chinese authorities, transport companies and IRU members has set the course for the next decade of international road transport cooperation.

Speaking at the Global Sustainable Transport Forum 2026 in Beijing, IRU outlined how buses and trucks, trade facilitation measures, and technology-neutral decarbonisation help make transport universally accessible.

The Swedish Bus Driver Championship, organised annually by IRU member the Swedish Bus & Coach Federation (Sveriges Bussföretag), has long been an opportunity to recognise the skill and professionalism behind bus driving.

At IAA TRANSPORTATION 2026 in Hannover, Germany, IRU President Radu Dinescu called for deeper cooperation between technology providers, operators and associations to ensure digitalisation delivers practical benefits for road transport.

Belgian innovation goes beyond chocolate. Through a series of initiatives led by IRU member the Belgian Federation of Bus and Coach Operators (FBAA), the sector is helping destinations manage visitor flows, improve accessibility and develop new tourism products.

Harmonised processes and closer public-private cooperation can unlock even more trade between China and Central and Eastern Europe, IRU said to transport leaders in Beijing today.

How can road transport operators reduce trade costs, improve efficiency and strengthen their competitiveness? Join industry leaders in Astana, Kazakhstan, on 14 October to explore practical solutions for more efficient, professional and resilient road transport.

Artificial intelligence, automation and greater connectivity can help road transport respond to major challenges. But successful deployment will depend on common standards, trusted governance and keeping people at the centre, IRU President Radu Dinescu told transport leaders in Seoul.

IRU’s Commission on Innovation and Technology (CIT) brought together members and industry experts in Brussels to exchange views on the technologies, regulatory developments and practical challenges shaping the future of commercial road transport.