What should shippers ask before selecting a Europe road freight provider?

Ask for lane-level on-time performance and claims rates, not only network maps. Also ask how the provider handles border data, driver scheduling, and peak-week surge capacity.

How do zero-emission zones change carrier selection in Europe?

They push buyers to verify vehicle eligibility by city and by date, since rules can differ widely. Providers with depot charging plans and compliant subcontractors reduce last-minute rerouting risk.

Are electric trucks ready for long-distance European linehaul today?

They can work on repeat corridors with planned charging, but public heavy-duty charging remains limited. Many fleets blend battery electric, renewable fuels, and intermodal to keep service stable.

How should buyers compare intermodal options versus all-road moves?

Compare total transit time variability, not only average transit time. Intermodal can cut emissions and reduce driver exposure, but rail and terminal disruptions can create missed delivery windows.

What risks most often disrupt cross-border truck operations in Europe?

Driver shortages, secure parking gaps, and theft exposure remain recurring issues on busy corridors. Buyers should require documented parking plans and security procedures for high-value loads.

Which proof points matter most for decarbonisation commitments?

Look for signed vehicle orders, deployed vehicles on real routes, and depot power upgrades. Also ask whether toll incentives or local subsidies are built into the provider's pricing assumptions.

Top Europe Road Freight Transport Companies

Dachser

Countercyclical investment in 2023 expanded the network when many peers slowed capacity growth. The company strengthened European coverage through moves including Mller Fresh Food Logistics in the Netherlands and a large step in Italy via a Fercam joint venture. It is also putting new battery electric heavy trucks into operation, which helps prepare for stricter urban access rules and buyer emission demands. The what-if scenario is a faster rollout of zero-emission zones across key capitals, which would reward early depot charging readiness. A critical operational risk is network imbalance, where food and general cargo peak patterns can overload terminals without dynamic linehaul planning.

Leaders

DHL Group

Cost and labor actions in 2025 show how seriously the group protects service reliability during volatility. The group, a leading service provider in European parcel linehaul, is leaning into battery electric heavy trucks, including a 2025 deal to source 30 eActros 600 units via a pay-per-use model with deliveries planned by end of Q2 2026. EU heavy vehicle CO2 rules push faster fleet renewal, yet charging density still limits route design. If toll exemptions extend beyond 2026, the economics could improve on repeat lanes. The key risk remains execution at depots, where uptime and power availability can bottleneck peak weeks.

Leaders

DSV A/S (De Sammensluttede Vognmnd af Air and Sea)

The 300-truck agreement with Volvo Trucks, scheduled for delivery from 2024 to 2026, signals serious intent rather than pilot optics. The Schenker transaction, if fully integrated, can widen linehaul density and reduce empty kilometers on cross-border corridors. Policy pressure is rising as the EU tightens truck CO2 targets through 2035 and 2040. If charging buildout lags, DSV may need more renewable fuels as a bridge. A realistic downside is margin drag from mixed fleets and uneven access to megawatt charging.

Leaders

Girteka

Fleet renewal scale matters when shippers want consistent lead times during labor shortages. The company, a leading producer of truck capacity, signed a 2025 deal with Volvo Trucks to purchase 2,000 heavy-duty vehicles delivered through 2025. It has also broadened multimodal offerings, including new Finland to Germany services that blend road legs with ferry capacity. Regulation is tightening on emissions, yet charging and secure parking gaps remain practical constraints. If cross-border autonomous corridors scale after pilots, Girteka could redeploy drivers toward complex urban segments. The operational risk is execution discipline across a very large trailer pool, especially for temperature-sensitive freight.

Leaders

Kuehne + Nagel

Road profitability pressure is visible even when volumes hold up, which changes how managers prioritize lanes. This key participant reported Road Logistics net turnover of CHF 1.8 billion in H1 2025, with EBIT of CHF 47 million and a road network described as underutilized in Europe. The acquisition of Spanish groupage provider TDN in late Q2 2025 strengthens Iberian coverage and should improve cross-dock utilization over time. EU decarbonization rules raise the cost of delay, but also create pricing power for compliant capacity. If demand rebounds unevenly, the company may outperform in controlled lanes while struggling in spot-driven general cargo. The key risk is underfilled linehaul that erodes service cadence.

Leaders

A.P. Moller - Maersk

Shippers increasingly ask for one inland plan that can reroute fast when ports choke. The top brand has emphasized inland coordination across Europe, citing roughly 440 rail and 130 barge services per week connected to major ports, with trucking executed through a broad partner base. EU emissions rules affect truck procurement even when assets are outsourced, because carrier compliance changes price and availability. If inland peak surcharges become more common around Rotterdam and Antwerp, Maersk may gain by bundling capacity and visibility. The main risk is dependence on third-party trucking quality, which can vary across Eastern Europe corridors and holiday peaks.

Established

GXO Logistics (Wincanton PLC)

Regulatory clearance timing can be the difference between capturing tenders and watching them reset. A key contractor in the UK and Ireland received CMA clearance to integrate most of Wincanton, subject to limited divestments, and expected integration steps from Q3 2025. The combined footprint can increase access to transport linked with contract logistics, especially in grocery and aerospace lanes. A practical what-if is tighter urban access rules that force dedicated fleets to shift faster than planned. The biggest operational risk is delayed synergy capture if contract transitions trigger service disruption or driver churn.

Established

Rhenus Group

M&A can deepen chemical corridor density, yet it can also distract line management. The group took over Mannheimer Transport-Gesellschaft Bayer GmbH retrospectively from 1 January 2023, strengthening presence in the Mannheim and Ludwigshafen chemicals region. The group also launched a low-carbon shuttle concept using B100 between Merck's Molsheim site and a Strasbourg warehouse, with plans to expand B100 fleets across France. Policy moves toward zero-emission zones raise the value of repeatable low-carbon lanes. If the EU pushes toll incentives longer, bridge fuels may remain competitive. A critical risk is integration overlap that weakens service cadence in general cargo.

Established

Turners (Soham) Ltd

Strong earnings do not automatically translate into cross-border resilience, especially when customer mix shifts. This major operator reported turnover rising to 592 million and pre-tax profit to 71.5 million for the year to 28 December 2024, supported by acquisitions including Logistics Planning Services. Regulation on truck CO2 is tightening, and cold chain fleets will face higher compliance costs on replacement cycles. If the UK strengthens alignment with EU safety and data requirements for imports, process readiness will matter more than fleet size. A key risk is temperature-controlled service failure during peak power constraints, where depot upgrades lag vehicle procurement.

Established

LKW WALTER

Combined transport scale is a hedge against driver scarcity and toll inflation on long corridors. The company, a leading vendor in intermodal road-led services, highlighted that a third of its transports are already handled in an environmentally friendly way using truck, rail, and ship combinations. In 2024 it also cited CO2 savings from route shifts on lanes such as France to Romania and France to Spain, tied to customer programs like Renault Group. EU CO2 rules increase the payoff from modal shift where rail paths are reliable. If secure parking shortages worsen, intermodal timing buffers could become a selling point. The key risk is rail disruption that forces last-minute all-road substitutions.

Performers

Mainfreight

European performance can look healthier than the group average when network buildout finally stabilizes. This key participant reported Europe revenue of 602.8 million and profit before tax of 31.0 million for the year ended 31 March 2025, with transport improvement still needed in France, Romania, and Poland. That mix implies upside if hub execution improves, yet it also flags uneven service maturity across the region. If near-shoring grows in Central and Eastern Europe, new customer inquiries could accelerate, but only if branch staffing holds. A critical risk is underutilized new facilities that dilute returns before volumes arrive.

Performers

NTG Nordic Transport Group A/S

Acquisitions can quickly add refrigerated and general cargo capability, but integration quality decides the outcome. The top wholesaler of road-led forwarding signed an agreement to acquire DTK in March 2025, a business focused on full and part-load plus temperature-controlled road freight across Denmark, Germany, Sweden, and the UK. The same announcement provided 2024 revenue and EBIT figures for DTK, which suggests NTG is buying profitable capacity rather than distressed volume. If Nordic zero-emission rules tighten faster than expected, the group may need capex that competes with M&A. A key risk is service fragmentation across acquired brands that confuses shippers during disruption weeks.

Performers

Seacon Logistics

Density from one groupage hub can be a real differentiator when lanes are time-critical. The major distributor states it operates a dedicated groupage hub in Venlo and serves eight European capitals daily with its own trucks, while supporting FTL and LTL collection in the Netherlands and Germany. The company also positions itself as a chain director with intermodal solutions anchored by inland locations, which helps when port and rail works force rerouting. If Dutch zero-emission zone coverage expands, depot planning and subcontractor compliance will become more important. The operational risk is overreliance on a single hub rhythm, where one failure cascades across multiple capitals.

Performers

XPO, Inc.

France has become a proving ground for electric urban and regional freight at scale. The program included an order for 165 additional electric trucks in early 2024, building on earlier orders, and was framed as a route to comply with urban delivery restrictions. Financial disclosure shows European Transportation revenue of USD 841 million in Q2 2025, with operating income of USD 11 million. EU policy sets tougher truck CO2 targets through 2035, which can increase compliant capacity pricing. If public heavy-duty charging scales slower than planned, route redesign may slow rollout. A critical risk is charging downtime that breaks LTL sort schedules.

Performers

AGI Global Logistics Ltd

Small forwarders can win by being flexible, but they often lack the assets that absorb shocks. The niche provider launched rail freight services and a China to UK rail solution through its London office in 2024, which signals a multimodal approach that can complement road execution. EU and UK border data requirements for road moves increase process complexity, which can strain smaller operations without strong systems. If customers demand more visibility and compliance evidence, AGI may need higher overhead to stay credible. The key operational risk is dependence on subcontracted carriers during peak periods, when service quality diverges sharply.

Aspirants

C.H. Robinson

Strategic exits can simplify focus, yet they can also reduce local relevance quickly. The US-based provider completed the sale of its European Surface Transportation business to sennder, effective February 1, 2025 after regulatory clearances. That move reduces direct exposure to European road capacity management, which can weaken buyer recall in day-to-day procurement cycles. If European shippers consolidate sourcing to fewer operators with owned networks, the remaining footprint may skew toward forwarding rather than transport execution. A key risk is losing carrier mindshare and lane history, which are hard to rebuild once volumes migrate.

Aspirants

Efret Limited

Trailer investment is a tangible signal of confidence in cross-Channel and pan-European demand. The specialist firm expanded its mega trailer fleet in 2024, with trailers designed to be XL code compliant for intermodal road and rail usage. That choice fits a world where shippers want lower-carbon alternatives without giving up lead time flexibility. If secure parking shortages worsen on UK to EU lanes, operational planning will matter as much as equipment quality. A realistic upside is stronger retail replenishment flows that value speed and dedicated capacity. The main risk is capital tied up in specialist equipment if customer mix shifts away from mega-compatible freight.

Aspirants

Gebruder Weiss

Large capex in Austria suggests long-term commitment to integrated road and rail operations. The major player received approvals in April 2024 to begin a new IT and logistics center in Wolfurt, planned to complete by end of 2025 and located near a freight terminal to improve multimodal efficiency. It also expanded heavy-duty electrification in 2025, deploying Mercedes eActros 600 trucks and building in-house fast charging to reduce reliance on limited public infrastructure. If EU charging expands slower than expected, self-owned charging becomes a moat. The operational risk is uneven adoption across branches, which can complicate network planning.

Aspirants

Hoyer GmbH

Specialized bulk and gas movements reward safety discipline, yet they face hard-to-abate fuel constraints. The leading service provider brought a hydrogen-powered truck into operation for dry ice transport in cooperation with Nippon Gases Deutschland, announced in January 2025. EU truck CO2 regulation increases the pressure to prove credible pathways even for niche duty cycles. If hydrogen supply and refueling access improve along core chemical corridors, Hoyer could scale beyond pilots. The critical risk is technology lock-in, where early solutions underperform in real winter operations and force costly fleet reversals.

Aspirants

Scan Global Logistics

Road network expansion through bolt-ons can add density without heavy asset ownership. The key supplier acquired Sand Road Freight in June 2023, strengthening road transport capability between Denmark and the Benelux with a defined daily truck flow. The approach can work well when customers value stable transit times and lower damage risk from reduced reloading. If electric truck mandates accelerate without matching incentives, smaller operators may struggle to renew fleets on time. The operational risk is overdependence on a narrow corridor, where one disruption quickly erodes service promise.

Aspirants

Europe Road Freight Transport Companies: Leaders, Top & Emerging Players and Strategic Moves

Top 5 Europe Road Freight Transport Companies

Europe Road Freight Transport Companies Matrix by Mordor Intelligence

MI Competitive Matrix for Europe Road Freight Transport

Analysis of Europe Road Freight Transport Companies and Quadrants in the MI Competitive Matrix

Dachser

DHL Group

DSV A/S (De Sammensluttede Vognmnd af Air and Sea)

Girteka

Kuehne + Nagel

A.P. Moller - Maersk

GXO Logistics (Wincanton PLC)

Rhenus Group

Turners (Soham) Ltd

LKW WALTER

Mainfreight

NTG Nordic Transport Group A/S

Seacon Logistics

XPO, Inc.

AGI Global Logistics Ltd

C.H. Robinson

Efret Limited

Gebruder Weiss

Hoyer GmbH

Scan Global Logistics

Frequently Asked Questions

Methodology

Analysis of Leading Europe Road Freight Transport Companies