BLV-pro with a large truck rally on January 18, 2024

What was announced by the association during the demonstration in Wiesbaden is now being realized by BLV-pro e.V., calling for a large demonstration of small and medium-sized transport companies. On January 18, vehicles from all regions of Germany will gather and make their way to Berlin.

(Berlin) Representatives from all areas of logistics have registered, and while, for example, tractor units with and without trailers, dump trucks, BF3 escort vehicles, buses, motorhomes, vans, etc. line up on the Straße des 17. Juni, a vigil will begin in front of the Federal Chancellery at 4:00 PM – accompanied by trucks.

Ralf Kalabis-Schick, the representative for the interests of professional drivers at BLV-pro e.V., says about his motivation for the Berlin demonstration: “It is time to fight for our profession.” With warning fires in large barrels, he and his colleagues from all over Germany will draw attention to themselves in Berlin.

On Friday, January 19, 2024, the large rally will begin in front of the Brandenburg Gate with speakers from politics and the industry. While no politician was willing to speak to the participants in Wiesbaden, BLV-pro e.V. expects several speeches this time. Some participants have already announced that they will stay until they are finally heard.

The demonstration is under the motto:

Enough is enough! We will show who we are,
we will be peaceful, but loud, and many will be!
All wheels will stand still,
if we, the logistics, want it that way!

For the preservation of small and medium-sized transport companies, all of which are working on behalf of the German economy, Patrick Blodt from Mainz has set out.

When asked why BLV-pro e.V. is not joining the farmers’ demonstration, Daniel Beständig, spokesperson for the association, replies: “The farmers are fighting for the enforcement of their legitimate demands. However, we represent the small and medium-sized German transport companies with their drivers, and the problems there are different. Many have been fighting for survival for years, and yet the industry is continually burdened with higher costs. There is a lack of controls on cabotage, compliance with social regulations, and adherence to the European Mobility Package. This undermines fair competition and leads to the extinction of the industry if it continues to be ignored.”

The German transport industry is the backbone of our economy. Without us, raw materials do not reach the factory, and products do not reach the end consumer – no fuel, no food, no medicines, no packages from online retailers – no quality of life.

“The anger and disappointment in our industry over the government’s decisions is enormous, and the worries and fears about the future due to the high burden from increased tolls and CO2 charges are significant, and the industry is resisting; after our call for a demonstration in mid-December 2023, over 2000 demonstration participants joined the WhatsApp groups within a few hours. Through this networking, we can reach many participants promptly and simultaneously!” explains the secretary of BLV-pro e.V., Bärbel Karnik.

Energetic Demands

The chairman of BLV-pro e.V., Konstantin Popov, demands energetically:

• The federal government must consider the impact of the toll increase on freight forwarders and the entire logistics industry. An urgent comprehensive review of the toll structure is needed, along with a fair solution that does not further jeopardize the competitiveness of freight forwarders, and the release of toll data for control purposes.
• No railway financing at the expense of freight transport.
• No competitive advantage for the railway to the detriment of freight forwarders, but fair competition in Germany and Europe.
• We demand toll usage according to the highway toll law for infrastructure measures such as truck parking lots, rest areas, road and bridge construction.
• The introduction of a commercial diesel.
• Legally defined payment terms of a maximum of 14 days.
• An end to social dumping that prevents market-appropriate prices for the transport industry.
• Fair competition and an end to the unchecked encroachment of cheap service providers from countries with much lower wage levels.
• Finally, protect the German middle class in the transport industry.

Photo: © BLV-pro