Seven in ten operators say customers won’t pay the extra cost of greener transport, according to IRU and Trimble’s 2026 Green Compact survey.
A new survey of road freight operators shows that, while they are cutting emissions, cost is now their biggest obstacle to going further, compared to last year’s survey, in which cost ranked second to infrastructure.
Moreover, around seven in ten operators in Western Europe (70%), Eastern Europe (71%) and Australia (67%) say their customers are unwilling to pay the additional cost of decarbonisation.
Figure 39 - Cost is the dominant barrier to decarbonising in all three regions
IRU Secretary General Habib Turki said, “The next phase of decarbonisation requires much greater investment. Operators cannot carry that cost alone, particularly when their customers are unwilling or unable to pay more for greener transport.” (....)