Newsroom

At 19, Charlene Kerkhof is proving that young professionals are ready to drive the future of road transport. Growing up in the Netherlands with a trucking family, she turned her passion into a career. Now, she’s mastering the road while calling for better opportunities to help more young drivers succeed.

Over 20 organisations have called on the European Commission to conduct an early, technology-neutral revision of the CO₂ standard regulations, and provide the enabling conditions and incentives needed for a further uptake of clean vehicles.

The Clean Industrial Deal recognises the role of competitiveness in achieving decarbonisation goals. However, it overlooks critical sectors that support manufacturing and provide essential clean mobility services. Ensuring all decarbonisation solutions are implemented in a cost-effective manner is equally essential.

At the EU- and ILO-backed THAMM Plus event in Rabat, Morocco, this week, IRU outlined how improving driver mobility from third countries to the EU tackles two challenges: chronic driver shortages and subpar professional qualification standards.

Young professionals like Lucie and Timeo are part of a new generation of highly trained, safety-conscious truck drivers, ready to take on the challenges of a vital industry. But can they?

At a key FIA event during the 4th Global Ministerial Conference on Road Safety, IRU stressed the need to better support road transport companies in enhancing standards.

IRU’s new Intelligence Briefing analyses the most recent EU road freight figures and provides a forecast up to 2030.

IRU welcomes the European Transport Board (ETB), a significant industry network in Europe, as its newest member.

Decarbonising road transport and developing the necessary skills took centre stage at this week’s Green Impact Expo & Summit in Morocco, where IRU laid out actionable strategies for a sustainable, skilled future in mobility.

The world road transport organisation, IRU, intervened on key policy debates of the highest UNECE Inland Transport Committee meetings and side events.

IRU’s Secretary General held a series of high-level talks with transport ministers in Geneva this week on the urgent need to improve international transport and border processes.

IRU joined the European Commission and industry leaders at the Strategic Dialogue on the Future of the European Automotive Industry today, reinforcing the need for a realistic approach to the clean mobility transition.

Change is gaining momentum. From breaking cultural barriers to rethinking recruitment, industry leaders are stepping up to drive progress. Inspiring women from the sector shared their experiences and insights during our recent webinar.

The fourth IRU Green Compact roundtable, hosted by IRU member TotalEnergies, brought together key industry players to discuss the challenges and opportunities of implementing alternative fuels in commercial road transport.

IRU has presented key findings from an EU study on the recruitment of third-country professional drivers at the final STEER2EU workshop. The study, entrusted to IRU by the European Commission, supports efforts to tackle Europe’s growing driver shortage.

China’s TIR transport market experienced remarkable growth in 2024, marking a turning point in its development. With record-breaking numbers, the rise of new operations, and the establishment of logistics hubs, 2025 promises even greater expansion and innovation.

IRU and industry partners have signed an open letter urging EU Member States and the European Commission to preserve and strengthen dedicated European transport funding in the next EU budget. The call comes as discussions intensify on the EU’s Multiannual Financial Framework review, which will shape the bloc’s budget priorities for the coming years.

An IRU delegation was in Iraq last week to lay the groundwork for the country’s first cross-border movement under the global TIR transit system.

The Upply x Ti x IRU European road freight rates index shows that the contract index rose by 2.8 points quarter on quarter (q-o-q) in Q4 2024, while the spot rate index increased by 0.5 points. Year on year (y-o-y), the spot and contract indices are down by 1.0 point and 1.4 points, respectively.

The North American trucking associations of Canada, Mexico and the US, all members of IRU, have reacted to the US government’s announcement on new tariffs.

As part of the organisation’s 2025 staff kick-off, IRU teams got a front-row seat to the exciting challenges and opportunities of road transport, visiting top mobility companies in Geneva and Brussels and exploring the history of customs in Beijing.

IRU member the American Trucking Associations (ATA) has been calculating the tonnage index based on surveys from its membership since the 1970s. Here are the results for December 2024.

A competitive and green EU automotive sector needs action on both the demand and supply sides. European Commission President von der Leyen has missed a major opportunity in not including commercial road transport operators in kicking off her new strategy today.

We turned to Global Petrol Prices for insights into key trends and projections.

IRU, the world road transport organisation, welcomes HPF as a new member committed to advancing cross-border trade and strengthening international connectivity.

Pakistan’s National Logistics Corporation (NLC) has demonstrated that transporting goods from Kashgar, China, to Dubai, United Arab Emirates, does not have to take 30 days.

IRU’s first roundtable on technology and innovation centred on the challenges, integration and potential of advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) in commercial road transport.

The latest Organization of Turkic States (OTS) customs meeting focused on initiatives to enhance cooperation, digitalisation and the development of the Middle Corridor. The meeting concluded with the signing of an eTIR implementation roadmap, setting a 2025 operational deadline for all OTS countries.

As road transport heads towards carbon neutrality, we spoke with fuel platform specialist xavvy for insights on the latest challenges and opportunities. From renewable natural gas and ultra-fast charging to digital interfaces and fleet management, here’s what’s shaping the future of alternative fuels.

The first Trans-Caspian corridor shipment of lithium-ion batteries from China to Türkiye under the TIR system has demonstrated the potential for faster trade by significantly reducing transport times.

IRU, the world road transport organisation, welcomes Jinhai Holdings as a new member focused on expanding efficient and sustainable logistics solutions such as the TIR system.

TIR truck drivers now enjoy a smoother journey: dedicated TIR windows are operational at two key Kyrgyz border crossings.

Mongolia continues its journey to becoming a land-linked country with the recent introduction of TIR-EPD, TIR’s advance cargo information system, and green lanes. Kyrgyzstan has also taken similar steps to facilitate transit.

A fourth TIR logistics hub has opened in China, consolidating all essential transit services under one roof and enhancing TIR operations for the country’s expanding market.

United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) trainers are now equipped to pass on vital defensive driving knowledge and skills to their drivers and subcontractors in Uganda and Tanzania, enhancing the safety of humanitarian missions.