Italian road transport is often perceived as relatively outdated and not very competitive at the international level. Furthermore, its modal share is often presented as dominant, even though international combined rail-road transport is very common in the north and motorways of the sea are very active.
The importance of the role played by Italian industrial districts is often presented as having a negative influence on the structuring of a more concentrated and internationalised sector, and a positive influence on the logistical organisation of a network of SMEs that remains dense and, in certain sectors, highly competitive at international level.
This study aims to shed light on these issues, focusing primarily on the conditions under which road hauliers operate.