Newsroom

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.

IRU acknowledges the Council’s efforts to update the Package Travel Directive (PTD) with the removal of payment restrictions. However, concerns over unclear cancellation rules, vouchers and strict refund timelines remain, posing challenges for bus and coach operators and SMEs.

IRU welcomes Member States’ decision reached in the Road Transport Committee to introduce a two-month grace period for the EU’s upcoming legal retrofitting deadline. This provides critical support operators urgently need.

Get ahead in 2025: IRU’s intelligence webinars are helping road transport actors forecast trends, tackle challenges and plan smartly for the year ahead.

Transport operators can now easily obtain their TIR carnets at the point of departure in Zhengzhou, rather than from Beijing.

At Saudi Arabia’s premier supply chain and logistics conference, IRU uncovered the power of AI and digital innovation in boosting the efficiency and sustainability of road transport.

In this IRU Intelligence Briefing, we delve into the key trends shaping road transport in the EU: Which types of goods dominate road freight? How do trip distances vary by product category? What are the main trade routes within the EU, and which goods flow across them?

IRU, together with the Network for Sustainable Mobility, has raised serious concerns about the European Commission’s announced “Greening of Corporate Fleets” proposal.

The benefits of improving soft infrastructure parallel those of developing physical infrastructure. This was IRU’s key message at the Eurasian Development Bank’s conference on sustainable development in Kazakhstan.

IRU brought its pragmatic vision of innovation to the International Transport Forum’s mobility conference in Seoul, South Korea, today. The event gathered global industry leaders and experts to explore the future of mobility.

IRU has joined a coalition of EU trade stakeholders urging a more efficient and harmonised Union Customs Code which would enhance trade facilitation and address existing inefficiencies in customs procedures across the EU.

IRU has awarded the prestigious IRU Diploma of Honour to 1,847 outstanding bus, coach, taxi, and truck drivers from 23 countries worldwide in recognition of their remarkable driving and safety achievements.

IRU and the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) have signed a new MoU, refuelling their long-standing commitment to sustainable transport, road safety and cross-border mobility.

At the European Parliament today, Commissioner Apostolos Tzitzikostas and Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) met with travel and tourism industry leaders to advance strategies for enhancing sustainability and resilience within the sector.

The trucking industry continues to face a chronic shortage of drivers. Together with leading transport companies, IRU unpacked key trends and solutions during its latest driver shortage webinar.

AIthena partners focused on reviewing progress, evaluating key activities, and mapping out a strategic plan for the project's final year during their preparatory meeting in Austria.

The Council of the European Union’s adoption of its general approaches on passenger rights enforcement and multimodal journey regulation marks a significant step forward in safeguarding passengers and supporting operators. IRU welcomes, in particular, the clarification of the scope and the realistic extension of reimbursement deadlines. However, critical gaps remain, including the need to consider the unique position of small enterprises and set clearer rules on intermediary liability.

The European Parliament has advanced the CountEmissionsEU proposal, setting the stage for trilogue negotiations, recognising road transport needs, especially for SMEs.

At the Zakat, Tax and Customs Conference today, IRU’s Secretary General underscored the importance of digitalising trade and called on other countries to emulate Saudi Arabia's success in maximising the benefits of the TIR system.

The Bioceanic Corridor, South America’s emerging transnational trade route, could significantly benefit from the efficiency and security provided by the global TIR transit system, which has successfully facilitated trade on major corridors worldwide for decades.

A new training initiative is helping bus and coach drivers across the UK deliver inclusive and accessible journeys for blind and partially sighted passengers.