The Crucial Role of Trucks in European Trade
Road freight transport is the backbone of commerce in Europe. Trucks, responsible for nearly 80% of goods transported by land in the European Union, are essential for maintaining efficient and operational supply chains.
The New MAUT in Germany: A Significant Change
2023 witnessed the introduction of the new MAUT in Germany, marking a significant moment in the freight transport landscape. Approval from the Bundestag and Bundesrat led to an amendment of the federal law on highway tolls, directly impacting both national and foreign carriers.
Inclusion of CO₂ in the German MAUT
One of the main changes is the inclusion of the CO₂ component in the German MAUT starting from December 1, 2023, for vehicles over 7.5 tonnes. This has resulted in an additional charge of approximately €0.16/km for national and foreign trucks with a total weight ≥ 7.5 tonnes, imposing new economic constraints on shipment management.
Additional Constraints in Groupage Services
In addition to the challenges posed by the new MAUT, groupage services are experiencing growing constraints. Groupage service networks are now more sensitive to situations such as oversized pallets and shipments of high weight. In these cases, networks may make crucial decisions directly influencing the shipping process.
Implications for Non-Standard Shipments
Networks may choose to reject the shipment, causing a standstill of the goods at the carrier or the customer. Alternatively, they may accept the shipment with specific additional cost conditions, such as extra length, weight, or volume. This puts additional pressure on costs and requires more careful shipment management.
The Value of Flexibility in Transport Services
Flexibility plays a crucial role in transportation. In addition to changes in shipment management, both networks and carriers have become less flexible in non-standard “door-to-door” services. They require additional costs for services involving additional management efforts, such as strict deliveries or pickups outside agreed-upon hours.
The Importance of Auditing in Transportation
Transport auditing emerges as an important practice to assess the impact of changes and constraints on costs and organization. Simulating alternative scenarios helps identify the most suitable arrangement for managing shipments in an evolving context.
In conclusion, the freight transport sector faces significant challenges, including the increase in MAUT costs and growing rigidity in services. To address these challenges, transport auditing becomes a strategic ally for companies like Med Trans World, enabling them to adapt efficiently to change and optimize shipment management.
