From Geneva to Istanbul: The past, present and future of road transport

Kicking off the celebrations, IRU members gathered in Geneva in May to mark 75 years of connecting societies with safe, efficient, green mobility and logistics.

The event featured opening remarks from IRU’s President and Secretary General, as well as Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana (UNESCAP), Dorothy Tembo (ITC), Gilbert F Houngbo (ILO), Olga Algayerova (UNECE), Raouf Mazou (UNHCR), and Young Tae Kim (ITF).

Following the opening remarks, former CNN anchor John Defterios moderated two panels on the greening of global transport and the 2030 agenda.

The panellists included André Schwämmlein (FlixBus), Andre de Simone (Transita Transportes), Brian Palmer (Amazon), Ignacio Pérez-Carasa (Alsa), Iro Doumani (OFAE), Kelvin Tang (CEVA Logistics), Mathieu Soulas (TotalEnergies), Thomas Deloison (WBCSD), and Stephen Cotton (ITF).

During the event, IRU exceptionally awarded this year’s Grand Prix d’Honneur to all professional drivers worldwide for their collective bravery, courage and dedication in continuing to serve through the pandemic, conflicts and natural disaster rescue and relief operations, despite risks to their own lives.

The award was symbolically accepted by three Swiss professional drivers, all members of ASTAG: Sophie Massarotto (Taxi Ambassador 202), Audrey Maury (Maury Transports), and Reto Rösch (Rösch Bus Tours).

Commenting on the role of drivers in recent years, IRU President Radu Dinescu said, “The last few years have been an extraordinary period for road transport and its people. The pandemic, war and natural disasters have tested professional drivers as never before.”

The event also featured the launch of IRU’s New Industry Shapers: a project showcasing inspiring people from all over the world who are leading the road transport industry into the future.

Announcing the launch of the New Industry Shapers project, IRU Secretary General Umberto de Pretto said, “Celebrating IRU’s 75th anniversary is about looking back at our long record of achievement, and at the same time looking forward to where our industry is going, including with IRU's New Industry Shapers campaign.”

The special 75th kick-off event in Geneva followed IRU’s General Assembly, during which IRU member associations adopted new policy positions on driver shortages and third-country drivers as well as on autonomous vehicles.

Marking the 75th anniversary, members adopted the IRU Charter 75. 

Focusing on the sector’s response to health crises, wars and natural disasters in recent years, the Charter 75 reinforces the road transport community’s commitment to help rescue people, rebuild shattered communities, and make mobility networks and supply chains more resilient and better able to withstand future shocks.

The Charter 75 has since been signed by many from the road transport sector, as well as governments, international bodies and NGOs.

The digital version of the IRU Charter 75, available in six languages, can now be signed online. 

Brussels, Belgium (27 June)

Just six weeks later, transport leaders and lawmakers filled every seat in the medieval celebration room of the Brussels Town Hall on the Grand Place for IRU’s special anniversary event celebrating both IRU’s 75th anniversary and 50 years of representation to the EU.

The event featured three key sessions on the past, present and future of road transport, with opening remarks from IRU and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Brussels City Mayor Philippe Close, Belgian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Mobility Georges Gilkinet.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said, “Today, we celebrate five decades of European integration through mobility and trade. The transport industry plays a crucial role in what is currently the biggest and most important challenge. With the European Green Deal, we aspire to be the first climate neutral continent before 2050. IRU is an indispensable partner in this journey."

IRU Director EU Advocacy Raluca Marian complemented the keynote speakers’ opening remarks by reminding everybody that transport is about “everyday life, the way we move, the way everything around us is transported”.

The first session explored the building of the European Union, from creation of the single market and the fall of the Iron Curtain to the pandemic and war in Ukraine, with remarks from MEP and former Polish Transport Minister Bogusław Liberadzki and former President of IRU's Passenger Transport Council Yves Mannaerts.

The first session also included interventions from Mathieu Grosch (former MEP and TEN-T coordinator), Benny Smets (Ninatrans), Roberto Parrillo (ETF), Krzysztof Dakowicz (ADAMPOL), Florence Dupasquier (SAMAT Group and FNTR), Laura Lane (UPS), Jos Sales (Sales-Lentz Group and FLEAA), David Marek (M-L Logistik Group), and Elisabeth Werner (European Commission).

The second panel debate with the Minister of Transport & Communications of the Republic of Lithuania, Marius Skuodis, Jacqueline de Rijk (Jan de Rijk Logistics), Theresa-Jasmin Meyering (Meyering Verkehrsbetriebe), and Thomas de Boer (Shell).

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (13 September)

The 75th anniversary event in Tashkent marked the start of a packed fall season with five events in Asia and the Americas.

Industry leaders, development organisations and financial institutions from 30 countries gathered in Uzbekistan to discuss regional connectivity and transit along multimodal east-west and north-south corridors, as well as to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Association of International Road Carriers of Uzbekistan (AIRCUZ).

Organised in partnership with IRU and the Ministry of Transport of Uzbekistan, the event also marked IRU’s 75th anniversary.

The main plenary’s speakers addressed the resilience of supply chains in times of crisis, highlighting the need for regional coordination and cooperation to rebuild trust across the logistics chain.

Ceremonies were also organised to honour professional drivers for their continued bravery and courage in the face of humanity’s most serious crises and to award the Best Eurasian Road Transport Operators.

Finally, a signing ceremony was held for IRU’s Charter 75, an industry pledge reinforcing the road transport industry’s commitment to help people in times of crisis. 

Cancun, Mexico (21 September)

Just a week later, decarbonisation, border challenges and driver shortages led the discussions at IRU’s North American Transportation Forum in Cancun, Mexico.

Hosted by IRU member CANACAR during its 2023 National Convention, and together with the American Trucking Associations and the Canadian Trucking Alliance (CTA), the North American Transportation Forum marked IRU’s 75th anniversary.

The event, sponsored by Circuito Exterior Mexiquense, featured Radu Dinescu, Dan Van Alstine (ATA), James Steed (Ontario Trucking Association) and Israel Delgado (CANACAR) for an interactive debate.

The discussions zeroed in on pressing issues, including decarbonisation, driver shortages, autonomous vehicles, border challenges and security programmes.

The panellists highlighted the need to preserve essential technology options, including battery-electric, hydrogen fuel cell and combustion engines based on carbon-neutral fuels or hydrogen.

The discussions also focused on keeping borders open and traffic flowing efficiently, with panellists discussing how infrastructure should be utilised in a more efficient manner though the combined use of automation and increased personnel, minimising delays and congestion.

Beijing, China (26 September)

In Beijing, IRU outlined key road transport opportunities with global transport ministers and industry leaders at China’s Global Sustainable Transport Forum.

The Forum, hosted by China’s Ministry of Transport, brought together some 1,000 participants from China and abroad to exchange on sustainable development plans and promote international cooperation in the transport sector, in line with advancing the 2030 agenda.

IRU Director of TIR and Transit Tatiana Rey-Bellet gave a keynote speech on connectivity in the digital age, highlighting efforts to unleash the potential of TIR and other global standards to enhance connectivity.

Tatiana Rey-Bellet also participated in the Ministerial Roundtable, chaired by Li Xiaopeng, China’s Minister of Transport, and featuring over 20 ministerial-level transport officials and high-level representatives from international organisations. 

Together with the China Transport Telecommunications and Information Center, IRU also co-hosted a side event on emerging opportunities and challenges along major road transport corridors connecting China and Europe.

The event was attended by transport and customs authorities, IRU members, logistics companies, development organisations and research institutions from countries along east-west corridors.

Han Jinghua, the Deputy Director General of the Ministry of Transport of China, recognised the benefits of TIR in his opening remarks, highlighting that the implementation of the UN’s TIR Convention in China has improved conditions for the development of international road transport between China and Europe.

IRU members AIRCUZ, BAMAP, CRTA, CEVA Logistics and ZZHY also shared their insights and best practices on transporting goods along China-Europe corridors. 

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (22 October)

In Riyadh, IRU outlined the sector’s critical role in fostering a circular economy as it marked its 75th anniversary with its members and partners from the region at Saudi Arabia’s Supply Chain and Logistics Conference.

A global audience of industry leaders and experts gathered at this year’s Supply Chain and Logistics Conference to explore the Kingdom’s transition to a circular economy in line with the Saudi Vision 2030.

IRU President Radu Dinescu delivered an opening keynote speech, highlighting global disruptions that the industry is facing, and the solutions being pursued by the IRU network.

IRU also hosted an interactive roundtable – with Meshal Almofadhi (Transport General Authority), Vincent Erard (IRU), Eyad Karadsheh (DB Schenker), Denice Viktoria Staaf (Supply Chain Sustainability and Circularity Initiative), and Jonas Velez Gonzalez-Tarrio (Alsa) – on the essential role of sustainable road transport in transitioning from a linear to a circular economy.

In a special side ceremony, IRU signed new partnerships with AlMajdouie Logistics and the Saudi Arabia Public Transport Company to strengthen their road safety and sustainability standards with RoadMasters, IRU’s risk and talent management system.

IRU also presented awards to its member the Saudi Automobile Association and the Middle East Logistics High Institute in recognition of their unwavering commitment to improve road safety and optimise transport and transit since the launch of TIR in Saudi Arabia in 2020.

Istanbul, Türkiye (15 November)

Cross-border facilitation, digitalisation and decarbonisation led the discussions in Istanbul as IRU celebrated its 75th anniversary with members and partners from the region, bringing to an end IRU’s 2023 75th anniversary events.

IRU members, transport companies, development organisations and public authorities focused on pressing challenges, including increasingly congested trade corridors and border crossings, facing road transport in Türkiye and the region at IRU’s special 75th anniversary event in Istanbul.

IRU President Radu Dinescu’s opening remarks were followed by speeches from TOBB Vice President Tamer Kıran and UND President Şerafettin Aras who congratulated IRU on its 75th Anniversary while reinforcing their commitment to work together.

The event also included two panel debates with Alper Özel (UND), Asset Assavbayev (TRACECA), Burak Serkan Yaşar (Türkiye’s Ministry of Trade), Dimitrios Rallis (BSEC), and Murat Korçak (Türkiye’s Ministry of Trade), İdil Bilgiç-Alpaslan (EBRD), Selim Can Sazak (TUM Strategy), Murat Gümüşlüol (Logitrans), Fuat Pamukçu (DFDS), Kenan Güler (Digital Customs Services).

As part of the celebrations, the event included award sessions recognising excellence in road transport. The Diploma of Honour for outstanding drivers and the Top Road Transport Manager award were presented to winners from Turkish road transport companies.

This final IRU 75th anniversary event was jointly hosted by IRU, TOBBUND and DFDS, in partnership with TOBB and UND, within Logitrans.

That’s it for 2023. See you next year?