BGL Members’ Meeting Focused on Toll Issues

Today, the Federal Association of Goods Transport, Logistics and Disposal (BGL) e.V. held its regular members’ meeting, which, as in the previous year, took place as part of the joint two-day industry dialogue “Network of Logistics” organized by BGL, KRAVAG, and SVG. The focus of this industry dialogue was the mid-term assessment of the traffic light coalition, which, in light of the current discussions on the doubling of the truck toll, is viewed as very sobering from the perspective of the logistics industry.

(Berlin) BGL Board Spokesman Prof. Dr. Dirk Engelhardt: “From the perspective of the medium-sized transport industry, the self-proclaimed coalition for progress falls far short of expectations. In particular, the Green-led Ministry of Economic Affairs has done little to promote progress in the medium-sized sector.” To further strengthen cohesion and good cooperation within the industry, two members were newly elected to the BGL Supervisory Board at the BGL members’ meeting:

• Reinhold Fisel, Managing Director of Fisel GmbH & Co. KG Recycling + Transport, Dillingen, President of the Bavarian Transport and Logistics Companies Association (LBT) e.V.
• Sandra Herbst, Herbst-Transporte GmbH, Freight Forwarding and Logistics, Bamberg, Vice President of the Bavarian Transport and Logistics Companies Association (LBT) e.V.

This allows the BGL Supervisory Board to continue its successful work.

Klaus Akkermann (Supervisory Board), Prof. Dr. Dirk Engelhardt (Board Spokesman), Thomas Heinbokel (Deputy Chairman of the Supervisory Board), Horst Kottmeyer (Chairman of the Supervisory Board), Sandra Herbst (Supervisory Board Member) and Reinhold Fisel (Supervisory Board)

As also shown by the official press conference of the BGL Supervisory Board and Board Spokesman, the industry is currently particularly concerned with the following topics at the mid-term of the so-called coalition for progress:

Doubling of the Truck Toll

It is at least a partial success that the toll law was not – as originally planned – rushed through the Bundestag and Bundesrat without further discussion. Because the doubling of the truck toll is currently nothing more than a senseless inflation driver in the midst of the economic crisis, which will become a test of endurance especially for small and medium-sized transport companies. The industry therefore expects that the legitimate objections of the coalition partners will still be taken into account in the current negotiations. From the BGL’s perspective, four points are central:

1. Postponement of the toll increase by one month to January 1, 2024, or better yet to 2025, so that existing contracts are not burdened.
2. Keeping promises and regulating the avoidance of double CO2 charges on fuel and toll in the legislative process as promised in the coalition agreement.
3. Increasing toll harmonization programs and funding programs for climate-friendly road freight transport.
4. Using the additional toll revenues for the financing cycle of roads, better funding for the expansion of charging infrastructure for electric trucks.

A significant part of the ongoing discussion of the draft law is also the campaign “#mauteverest” launched by the BGL in August. The campaign is running at full speed with broad support from transport companies, receiving much positive feedback from the media, politics, and the industry. In just a few weeks, the transport industry has managed to grow the budget for the “#mauteverest” campaign to over a quarter of a million euros – and the trend is rising! This commitment reflects the strong cohesion of the companies and shows that the industry wants to be understood and seen for its societal relevance.

Driver and Skilled Labor Shortage

To address the increasingly severe driver shortage, the federal government must finally have the courage for pragmatic solutions and a genuine bureaucratic turnaround. We urgently need relief in driver licensing law and professional driver qualification law. We need facilitated immigration of drivers from third countries. And we need better controls for fair competition so that cases like the striking truck drivers in Gräfenhausen are no longer the tip of the iceberg, but the absolute exception.

Only Demands That Can Be Fulfilled

To successfully and swiftly implement the transition in propulsion, operators of truck fleets need stronger support from the federal government. Because the climate-friendly transformation of road freight transport can only succeed if the political framework conditions are right. We need a stabilization of funding for the acquisition of electric trucks and hydrogen trucks, the establishment of a nationwide electric charging infrastructure at a German pace with sufficient truck parking spaces, and we need planning security for the use of long trucks type 1.

“We would also very much welcome it if politics only publicly made demands on the industry that we can fulfill in the future. The goods transport sector wants to be part of the climate transition, but needs the necessary framework conditions and planning security for that.” – said BGL Board Spokesman Prof. Dr. Dirk Engelhardt.

Photos: © BGL