The Czech road haulage sector is increasingly aligning itself with the standards of its western neighbours.

In social terms, the eight previous minimum wage bands, which were based on job responsibility, will be abolished from 2024. They will be replaced by four new grades based on the employee’s level of education. However, the Czech Republic remains one of the few countries in Eastern Europe to have adopted a collective agreement in the road transport sector.

In terms of taxation, a number of factors directly affecting road transport are changing: a 2-point increase in corporation tax, a reduction of -40 % in the axle tax, and a rise in toll charges.

As regards infrastructure, the lack of integration between the Czech road network and those of neighbouring countries calls for significant investment. An ambitious project to improve the network, supported by the European Union, is currently under way.

In terms of costs, wages are rising sharply due to labour market pressures exacerbated by the departure of hundreds of Ukrainian drivers. The cost per driver has risen by +44 % since the last survey in 2019.

Ultimately, the cost per kilometre for the Czech pavilion stands at €1.21, having risen by more than 30 % in just a few years.