Spain: pessimistic forecast for road transport
A recent survey conducted by Spain’s International Road Transport Association (ASTIC) has shown that a majority of the organisation’s members share a pessimistic outlook for the rest of the year.
61.5% of the surveyed companies believe the economic situation in Spain will have a negative impact on demand for road freight. A whopping 96.2% also expect their costs to increase “significantly” in 2024. In addition to this, a majority of respondents expect their turnover to fall in the coming year.
Despite this, over two-thirds of ASTIC members surveyed (68%) said they would make investments in their fleet this year, with as many as 32% stating their intention to purchase between 50 and 149 vehicles. Moreover, when it comes to staffing, the vast majority (73%) do not plan to increase their workforce, with members being more likely to hire additional workers than make existing staff redundant.
Commenting on the survey results, Ramón Valdivia, Executive Vice President of ASTIC, referred to some of the cost pressures that Spain’s international hauliers are grappling with, including Germany’s significantly higher road tolls, as well as more expensive social insurance contributions and commercial vehicle prices.
