Dear Partners,
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We’re starting a series of weekly updates to help you navigate what’s coming in light commercial transport across Europe. The market is entering a period of significant restructuring, and we want you to have clear information as you plan your operations through the second half of 2026.
This is especially important because Polish hauliers play a very significant role in international light commercial transport across Europe. According to available market data, Polish operators are responsible for a major share of this segment. Therefore, any disruption in Polish van capacity may quickly influence availability across the wider European market.
Vans between 2.5 and 3.5 tonnes performing international transport will fall under the same tachograph rules as heavy trucks. This means 9-hour daily driving limits, mandatory rest periods, and full registration of driver working time. The regulation is part of the EU Mobility Package and is not subject to further delay.
· The same fleet of vans will complete approximately 30-35% fewer kilometers per month due to the new driving time restrictions. A van that previously completed around 16,000-18,000 km per month may, under tachograph restrictions, often be closer to 12,000-13,000 km, depending on the route structure. This is not caused by lower demand, but by legal driving time, breaks and rest periods.
· According to ZMPD, the Polish Association of International Road Carriers, 1,234 transport companies closed in Q1 2026 alone — nearly as many as in all of 2025. Many operators are choosing to exit the business entirely, citing the high investment required for compliance and the uncertainty about the future of this segment.
· According to trans.info industry analysis, approximately 88% of light commercial hauliers will not have tachographs installed and certified by July 1st, even those actively trying to comply. The challenge is not only the device itself. Operators also need driver cards, driver training, data download procedures, storage of tachograph records and inspection readiness.
· Flexible evening, night or weekend loading becomes much harder. Mandatory rest periods will often prevent the same vehicle from unloading in the morning and reloading the same evening. Available driving time is consumed by the previous day’s deliveries, exactly as already familiar from heavy transport.
· The traditional van advantage — low cost combined with extreme operational flexibility — disappears simultaneously.
A severe supply-demand shock is highly likely in the first weeks after July 1st. Far fewer vans will be operational and compliant, while customer demand continues at current levels. Available capacity will be limited and unpredictable.
Critically — do not count on the spot market to fill this gap. Spot market capacity is expected to be extremely low at the very start of July, and rates may skyrocket unpredictably as shippers compete for the few available compliant vehicles. Anyone relying on spot booking for time-critical loads in early July faces real risk of failed or delayed deliveries.
Conditions will begin to stabilize from late August or September as the market adjusts, but the underlying capacity reduction will remain a structural feature of the market going forward.
Before July 1st, it is worth answering three questions about your transport operations:
1. Which shipments absolutely require express direct delivery?
2. Which shipments can tolerate consolidation or longer lead times?
3. Which shipments can be batched or planned differently to reduce frequency and improve cost efficiency?
The earlier you have answers, the more options remain available. Decisions made in June give you flexibility. Decisions forced in July leave you reacting to whatever capacity is left.
We will send weekly updates as the market reshapes itself. Our goal is not simply to sell you transport — it is to help you navigate this transition with accurate information and realistic options. We see ourselves as your partner through this restructuring, and we want to go through it together with you.
If you would like to discuss how these changes affect your specific operations or routes, please reply to this email or call us directly.
Best regards,
Interlogis Team
Note: Some of the detailed and current sources on this topic are in Polish, given that Poland represents the majority of the segment affected. In today’s AI era, automatic translation makes these fully accessible — most browsers translate them with a single click.
1. European Labour Authority — official information on new EU rules for LCVs 2.5-3.5 t from 1 July 2026
https://www.ela.europa.eu/assets/lcv2026/index.html
2. Trans.info / IRU survey — 88% of affected cross-border vans still required tachograph retrofitting ahead of the deadline
https://trans.info/en/tachograph-vans-unready-473731
3. Business Insider Poland / ZMPD — 1,234 transport companies closed in Q1 2026
https://businessinsider.com.pl/biznes/kryzys-polskiej-branzy-transportowej-eksperci-alarmuja-o-masowych-likwidacjach/vts9t3v
4. Trans.info / IRU report — Polish road transport international exposure / 63.6% international share
https://trans.info/en/road-transport-industry-poland-382349
