As the only country in Central Europe that did not belong to the Eastern Bloc, Austria has long benefited from its position as a transit route in the region. Connecting the most developed areas of Europe (Switzerland, Germany, northern Italy) to production centres in the East (Hungary, southern Slovakia, the Czech Republic), the Austrian flag has adapted to market developments over time. After experiencing a golden age in the 1990s, it was quickly confronted with the challenges of European competition following the entry of 10 new Member States into the EU, four of which are its direct neighbours. As a result, most Austrian companies have positioned themselves in the road transport market as transport organisers, seeking high added value and subcontracting most of their international road transport activity to carriers in neighbouring Eastern European countries. After a decade of decline, during which the volume of its international activity halved, the Austrian flag is increasingly focusing on its domestic market, following the example of other Western European flags.

In terms of operating conditions, the Austrian fleet covers nearly 120,000 km per year per vehicle. The typical international driver covers 111,000 km and 1,720 hours of driving per year, at an annual cost of more than €50,000. In detail, certain cost items differ from the standards observed in Western Europe, starting with the high cost of tolls. Maintenance and repair costs are also high but comparable to the average observed in France, the Netherlands and Belgium. 

Overall, the average cost per kilometre for a 40-tonne Austrian heavy goods vehicle operating internationally was €1.30/km in 2020, one of the highest in Europe.

The CNR invites you to discover this new study, which provides comprehensive details on Austrian TRM under 2020 operating conditions.