Link: https://www.auto-infos.fr/article/le-transport-longue-distance-sous-pression-structurelle.287760

Original article in French

Long-Haul Transport Under Structural Pressure

Long-haul carriers are struggling to recover amid stagnant activity and rising costs. The National Road Committee (Comité National Routier - CNR) has released its annual survey on long-distance road freight transport. Conducted in 2024 with 220 French companies, the survey paints a stark picture: the sector continues to be marked by a slowdown in activity and persistent cost inflation, all against a backdrop of structural difficulties.

The average production indicator for a long-haul vehicle slightly decreased by 0.4% between 2023 and 2024. Compared to 2019, the last "normal" year before the health crisis, the decline reaches 8.6%. With an overall activity index of 93.1 (base 100 = 2000), the 2024 level is the lowest recorded since the late 2000s.

The average annual mileage per vehicle is 106,430 km, a 1.1% decrease. The average distance per trip remains stable at 401 km, but this hides a decline of over 32% since 2007, illustrating a shift towards shorter routes. Smaller companies (fewer than 20 employees) continue to operate over the longest distances.

Rising Costs, Beyond General Inflation

While general inflation is estimated at +2% in 2024, vehicle operating costs have seen significantly higher increases. Tires are up 3.8%, maintenance and repairs by 2.7%, and fleet insurance by 7.1%. Structural costs have climbed by 8.7%. These increases heavily impact operators' profitability, especially as activity stagnates.

Facing these economic pressures, vehicle renewal is declining: 15.9% of tractors were replaced in 2024, down from 17.4% the previous year. The average age of tractors reached 3.8 years, but exceeds 4.7 years in smaller operations. This aging fleet mechanically leads to higher maintenance costs, estimated at €0.100/km for vehicles over 4 years old, compared to €0.080/km for newer ones.

However, there's some good news: the net fuel cost, after partial TICPE reimbursement, decreased by 8.8% to an average of €0.352/km. This is partly due to lower diesel prices at the end of 2024. Average fuel consumption continues to decrease (down 16.5% since 2000), thanks to improved efficiency of Euro VI engines and eco-driving practices. Despite this, the use of tank supplies tends to decrease (60.8% in 2024 versus 70% in 2015), due to a smaller price difference with pumps and increasing regulatory constraints.

More Prudent Highway Arbitrage

Carriers are also rationalizing their use of highways. In 2024, only 16.5% of respondents reported using them systematically (down 3.4 percentage points). The percentage of travel on toll highways dropped to 43.2% (down 1.6 percentage points). While highway use can reduce some marginal costs (tires, maintenance), toll fees, which have increased by an average of 3.8% per year since 2000, represent an immediate area for savings.

Stabilized Workforce, Still Under Pressure

On the employment front, 100% of drivers are on full-time permanent contracts. Average seniority increased slightly (+0.7 years) to 9.4 years, indicating better retention. The driver activity rate is high (219.1 days/year), and overtime remains the norm: 78% of drivers are paid for between 186 and 220 hours per month. The driver-to-vehicle ratio, slightly down at 1.03, reveals larger companies' desire for greater flexibility by decoupling driver-tractor pairs.

The CNR's 2024 long-haul survey reveals a sector struggling to catch its breath. Far from regaining its pre-crisis momentum, long-distance road transport remains undermined by a persistent imbalance between rising operating costs and declining activity. This reduces the investment capacity of companies, especially smaller ones. In this context, fleet structuring, fine-tuned cost management, and human resource optimization are more critical than ever for survival.

A Decade of Change for Long-Haul Transport

Between 2014 and 2024, long-distance road freight transport experienced significant changes, both operationally and economically. The production indicator per vehicle shows a 7.1% decrease over ten years. The average distance per trip fell from 590 km in 2007 to 401 km in 2024, a 32% drop, reflecting a gradual refocusing by carriers on shorter, more regional flows.

Diesel consumption has decreased by 16.5% since 2000, thanks to the widespread adoption of Euro VI standards (nearly 97% of the fleet in 2024) and eco-driving efforts. However, the purchase price of new tractors increased by 26.8% between 2014 and 2024. This inflation is attributable to technological equipment, new environmental standards, and safety requirements.

The cost structure has changed considerably. Between 2014 and 2024:

• Tire costs increased by 16%.
• Maintenance and repair costs rose by 14%.
• Fleet insurance costs jumped by 28%.
• Highway tolls, meanwhile, have increased 2.4-fold since 2000, with an average annual growth of 3.8%.

The activity rate for full-time drivers remains high (96.9% in 2024), but pressure on service times and recruitment difficulties are leading companies to review their HR strategies, with increased use of vehicle leasing, temporary work, and overtime.