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Europe Road Freight Transport Market Size

The Europe Road Freight Transport Market is projected to experience growth over the forecast period, with significant contributions from various sectors such as manufacturing, oil and gas, and wholesale and retail trade. The market's expansion is driven by factors like the rise in e-commerce, increased private consumption, and the development of infrastructure such as LNG regasification capacities. Despite challenges like inflation and rising costs, the market's dynamics are influenced by the transportation of goods across borders, with countries like Germany and France playing pivotal roles in road freight activities.

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Market Size of europe road freight transport Industry

Europe Road Freight Transport Market Summary
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svg icon Study Period 2017 - 2030
svg icon Market Size (2024) USD 496.83 Billion
svg icon Market Size (2030) USD 601.59 Billion
svg icon Largest Share by End User Industry Manufacturing
svg icon CAGR (2024 - 2030) 3.24 %
svg icon Largest Share by Country United Kingdom
svg icon Market Concentration Low

Major Players
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*Disclaimer: Major Players sorted in no particular order

Key Players

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Europe Road Freight Transport Market Analysis

The Europe Road Freight Transport Market size is estimated at 496.83 billion USD in 2024, and is expected to reach 601.59 billion USD by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 3.24% during the forecast period (2024-2030).

496.83 Billion

Market Size in 2024 (USD)

601.59 Billion

Market Size in 2030 (USD)

2.37 %

CAGR (2017-2023)

3.24 %

CAGR (2024-2030)

Largest Market by Distance

73.37 %

value share, Long Haul, 2023

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The long-haul segment has been dominant in the European road freight market as the countries in the region share close borders that foster trade between them.

Largest Market by Goods Configuration

73.33 %

value share, Solid Goods, 2023

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Solid goods dominate the market as the majority of goods transported are within the solid goods segment, which also contributes to the region's value-added output broadly.

Largest Market by End User Industry

35.06 %

value share, Manufacturing, 2023

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Growth in advanced manufacturing in Europe is expected to offer excellent export potential for industries such as machine tools, robotics, and electronics.

Fastest Growing Market by Truckload Specification

3.63 %

Projected CAGR, Less than-Truck-Load (LTL), 2024-2030

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The LTL segment's growth is attributable to the booming e-commerce industry. Europe’s e-commerce is expected to register a CAGR of 8.85% during 2023-2027.

First Leading Market Player

3.06 %

market share, DB Schenker, 2022

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DB Schenker operates from 430 land transport branches across 38 European countries. It uses the first hydrogen-powered 40-ton truck in cross-border transportation in Europe.

Retail e-commerce surge driving advancements in the wholesale and retail trade end user segment

  • In 2022, the manufacturing end-user segment grew due to the rise in human-robot collaboration, which boosted production. Germany is the fifth largest robot market globally, with 22,000 industrial robots utilized in various industries, accounting for 6% of the global robot installations as of 2021. Moreover, in 2021, the Schwarz Group, a German food retailer, emerged as the foremost retail company in Europe, with a total revenue of USD 153.75 billion within the region. In Germany, the retail sales of consumer durables were projected to increase by 1.50% YoY in 2022. This was supported by an estimated 5.40% increase in private consumption in 2022.
  • In Europe's oil and gas, mining, and quarrying sectors, German regasification plans are one of the factors driving growth in the oil and gas end-user segments. Russia supplies the country's natural gas needs. As a result, Germany is expected to add the highest LNG regasification capacity in Europe between 2022 and 2026, accounting for 36% of the region's total capacity additions by 2026. In 2022, Italy's net energy import costs are expected to more than double, reaching USD 113.24 billion.
  • The wholesale and retail trade end-user segment is poised for substantial growth in the upcoming years, primarily driven by the anticipated expansion of the European e-commerce industry, projected to register a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8.85 from 2023 to 2027. In the context of the German e-commerce landscape, it is projected that the market will encompass 68.4 million users by 2025, achieving a penetration rate of 81.9%, marking an increase from 80.1% in 2022.
Europe Road Freight Transport Market

Increasing road freight volume transported across Europe and government initiatives to develop the infrastructure are driving the growth in the market

  • In 2022, the EU and extra-EU tons transported by international road freight transportation in France were major. For instance, the total EU/extra-EU transported by road between France and Switzerland held a share of 7.3% of the total tonnage transported by road, and the total EU/extra-EU transported by road between France and the United Kingdom held a share of 6.5% in 2022. Road haulage transported 68.1% of Italian goods during the first half of 2022, resulting in a 1.5% increase in transport (measured in tonne-km) compared to the previous year. The number of companies in the Italian road haulage sector reached approximately 100,797 units at the end of 2022, a rise of 1.34% from 99,465 at the end of 2021.
  • The road freight transport market employs about 430,000 employees in Germany in about 35,000 road freight companies, which has been stable over the past five years. The fleet with a carrying capacity of 3.5 tons in 2021 was 964,696 in Germany and had a growth of 1.3% compared to 2020 and 3.4% over five years. The declining activity in all major economies and inflation, which led to a rise in fuel and wage costs, resulted in the decline of freight transportation through trucks between the 27th and 30th week of 2022 in the Netherlands. Since week 25, the weekly decrease in the movement of trucks was 9-21% lower than the same week in 2021.
  • In the Nordics, the overseas shipments of trucks increased by 6.7% in 2022. The main destinations for truck exports from Denmark are the Netherlands, Poland, and Germany, with a combined 54% share of total exports. In the UK, the top five countries for exports and imports have remained relatively constant over time. However, exports to Germany decreased from 1.4 million tons in 2000 to 0.19 million tons in 2021.

Europe Road Freight Transport Industry Segmentation

Agriculture, Fishing, and Forestry, Construction, Manufacturing, Oil and Gas, Mining and Quarrying, Wholesale and Retail Trade, Others are covered as segments by End User Industry. Domestic, International are covered as segments by Destination. Full-Truck-Load (FTL), Less than-Truck-Load (LTL) are covered as segments by Truckload Specification. Containerized, Non-Containerized are covered as segments by Containerization. Long Haul, Short Haul are covered as segments by Distance. Fluid Goods, Solid Goods are covered as segments by Goods Configuration. Non-Temperature Controlled, Temperature Controlled are covered as segments by Temperature Control. France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Nordics, Russia, Spain, United Kingdom are covered as segments by Country.

  • In 2022, the manufacturing end-user segment grew due to the rise in human-robot collaboration, which boosted production. Germany is the fifth largest robot market globally, with 22,000 industrial robots utilized in various industries, accounting for 6% of the global robot installations as of 2021. Moreover, in 2021, the Schwarz Group, a German food retailer, emerged as the foremost retail company in Europe, with a total revenue of USD 153.75 billion within the region. In Germany, the retail sales of consumer durables were projected to increase by 1.50% YoY in 2022. This was supported by an estimated 5.40% increase in private consumption in 2022.
  • In Europe's oil and gas, mining, and quarrying sectors, German regasification plans are one of the factors driving growth in the oil and gas end-user segments. Russia supplies the country's natural gas needs. As a result, Germany is expected to add the highest LNG regasification capacity in Europe between 2022 and 2026, accounting for 36% of the region's total capacity additions by 2026. In 2022, Italy's net energy import costs are expected to more than double, reaching USD 113.24 billion.
  • The wholesale and retail trade end-user segment is poised for substantial growth in the upcoming years, primarily driven by the anticipated expansion of the European e-commerce industry, projected to register a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8.85 from 2023 to 2027. In the context of the German e-commerce landscape, it is projected that the market will encompass 68.4 million users by 2025, achieving a penetration rate of 81.9%, marking an increase from 80.1% in 2022.
End User Industry
Agriculture, Fishing, and Forestry
Construction
Manufacturing
Oil and Gas, Mining and Quarrying
Wholesale and Retail Trade
Others
Destination
Domestic
International
Truckload Specification
Full-Truck-Load (FTL)
Less than-Truck-Load (LTL)
Containerization
Containerized
Non-Containerized
Distance
Long Haul
Short Haul
Goods Configuration
Fluid Goods
Solid Goods
Temperature Control
Non-Temperature Controlled
Temperature Controlled
Country
France
Germany
Italy
Netherlands
Nordics
Russia
Spain
United Kingdom
Rest of Europe
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Europe Road Freight Transport Market Size Summary

The Europe Road Freight Transport Market is poised for steady growth, driven by various industrial and economic factors. The market is characterized by a diverse range of end-user segments, including manufacturing, oil and gas, and wholesale and retail trade, which are expected to contribute significantly to its expansion. The manufacturing sector, particularly in Germany, has seen growth due to advancements in human-robot collaboration, while the retail sector is benefiting from the burgeoning e-commerce industry. The transportation and warehouse sector plays a crucial role in supporting operations across industries, with Germany leading in both imports and exports of goods. The German government's commitment to enhancing transportation infrastructure, alongside EU initiatives, underscores the strategic importance of road freight transport in the region's economic landscape.

The market landscape is fragmented, with major players like Dachser, DB Schenker, DHL Group, DSV A/S, and XPO, Inc. holding a modest share. These companies are increasingly investing in innovative solutions, such as electric trucks, to align with sustainability goals and reduce emissions. The market dynamics are also influenced by external factors such as fuel prices and geopolitical events, which have impacted supply chains and transportation costs. Despite challenges like inflation and rising fuel prices, the market is expected to maintain a positive growth trajectory, supported by ongoing investments in infrastructure and technology. The focus on sustainable transportation solutions and the integration of advanced technologies are likely to shape the future of road freight transport in Europe.

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Europe Road Freight Transport Market Size - Table of Contents

  1. 1. MARKET SEGMENTATION (includes market size in Value in USD, Forecasts up to 2030 and analysis of growth prospects)

    1. 1.1 End User Industry

      1. 1.1.1 Agriculture, Fishing, and Forestry

      2. 1.1.2 Construction

      3. 1.1.3 Manufacturing

      4. 1.1.4 Oil and Gas, Mining and Quarrying

      5. 1.1.5 Wholesale and Retail Trade

      6. 1.1.6 Others

    2. 1.2 Destination

      1. 1.2.1 Domestic

      2. 1.2.2 International

    3. 1.3 Truckload Specification

      1. 1.3.1 Full-Truck-Load (FTL)

      2. 1.3.2 Less than-Truck-Load (LTL)

    4. 1.4 Containerization

      1. 1.4.1 Containerized

      2. 1.4.2 Non-Containerized

    5. 1.5 Distance

      1. 1.5.1 Long Haul

      2. 1.5.2 Short Haul

    6. 1.6 Goods Configuration

      1. 1.6.1 Fluid Goods

      2. 1.6.2 Solid Goods

    7. 1.7 Temperature Control

      1. 1.7.1 Non-Temperature Controlled

      2. 1.7.2 Temperature Controlled

    8. 1.8 Country

      1. 1.8.1 France

      2. 1.8.2 Germany

      3. 1.8.3 Italy

      4. 1.8.4 Netherlands

      5. 1.8.5 Nordics

      6. 1.8.6 Russia

      7. 1.8.7 Spain

      8. 1.8.8 United Kingdom

      9. 1.8.9 Rest of Europe

Europe Road Freight Transport Market Size FAQs

The Europe Road Freight Transport Market size is expected to reach USD 496.83 billion in 2024 and grow at a CAGR of 3.24% to reach USD 601.59 billion by 2030.

In 2024, the Europe Road Freight Transport Market size is expected to reach USD 496.83 billion.

Europe Road Freight Transport Market Report Snapshots

Europe Road Freight Transport Market SIZE & SHARE ANALYSIS - GROWTH TRENDS & FORECASTS UP TO 2030