New study: impact of mega trucks on modal shift

17 Nov 2011. Europe’s rail freight would suffer from substantial losses following a possible admission of mega trucks in the EU. This is the result of a common study by K+P Transport Consultants and Fraunhofer ISI on behalf of the Community of European Railway and Infrastructure Companies (CER).

The consultants conclude that an EU-wide allowance of longer and heavier trucks would lead to extensive modal shift from the railways back to road transport. More than 35 percent of the transport performance of single wagonload would shift to the roads. Combined road-rail transport would also be affected by mega trucks - over 12 percent of the transport performance would be lost.

The authors of the study explain that modal shift of such extent would result in unprofitable market segments in railway transport. Especially single wagonload, a railway market segment which represents approximately 40 percent of the whole railway market in Germany, would be at stake. The price decline following an admission of mega trucks would start an economic downward spiral leading to a complete or partial breakdown of single wagonload in whole regions or countries in Europe.

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