Hauliers cannot finance the switch to zero-emission trucks while waiting for overdue payments and struggling to access suitable charging infrastructure.
That is the message from the International Road Transport Union (IRU), which is calling for a maximum 30-day payment period for road transport services and clearer EU rules allowing operators to open depot chargers to other transport businesses.
The demands are set out in two new position papers addressing practical barriers to investment: access to charging and the cash flow needed to pay for vehicles, infrastructure and staff.
For Irish hauliers weighing up fleet investment, both issues go directly to whether the figures stack up.
IRU EU Director Raluca Marian said, “Road transport operators are investing in the transition to zero-emission fleets while facing high upfront costs, tight margins and growing operational pressures. They need reliable access to charging that works for their operations, and predictable payment for the services they have already delivered.”
“Our two new position papers set out practical EU solutions to make these investments more workable, from a clear framework for semi-private depot charging to a 30-day maximum payment period for road transport services. These are the conditions operators need to plan and invest, helping make the transition scalable on the ground,” she added.
Payment within 30 days—without loopholes
IRU wants a maximum payment period of 30 calendar days for road transport services, covering both business-to-business transactions and public contracts, with no derogations.
Under its proposal, any acceptance or verification procedure would have to take place within that period. Customers could not use those processes to push payment beyond the deadline.
The demand will resonate with operators who must meet fuel, wage and other operating bills while waiting to be paid for completed deliveries.
Late payments place particular pressure on smaller haulage businesses, which often have limited negotiating power and little financial room to absorb delays. Money tied up in unpaid invoices is money unavailable for fleet renewal, charging equipment or recruitment.
“Cash flow is not an administrative detail for a transport operator,” said Raluca Marian. “It can determine whether a company invests in new technology and innovation, and in the drivers and staff who make every service work. Public funding helps, and we are grateful for it, but operators need money of their own to invest. A financially healthy operator is one that is paid on time for the work it has already delivered.”
Opening depot chargers to other operators
IRU’s position on the review of the Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Regulation (AFIR) calls for an EU-level definition of semi-private depot charging.
This would cover charging infrastructure that transport operators voluntarily make available to third-party users.
Operators would retain control over whether to open their depots. Clearer rules would encourage willing businesses to help build a complementary charging network for zero-emission vehicles.
For Irish fleets, access to another operator’s depot chargers could widen charging options beyond their own premises and public facilities. However, availability would depend on depot owners choosing to participate.
Both measures remain IRU proposals, rather than new legal requirements. The challenge for EU policymakers is to turn those demands into workable rules that give hauliers greater certainty over where they can charge—and when they will be paid.
