Haulage and coach operators are set to benefit from the Road Transporters Support Scheme (RTSS), which was set up by government as part of a suite of measures, to cut fuel costs in the wake of the recent fuel protests, according to HGVIreland.com’s John Loughran.

The RTTS is a government financial support scheme for the haulage and coach sector, introduced to help operators deal with high fuel costs and operating pressures.

The RTSS is a temporary grant scheme that provides direct payments to road transport operators (mainly haulage companies and coach / bus operators).

The scheme was announced as part of a wider package to tackle rising fuel costs and is modelled on earlier schemes, like the Licensed Haulage Support Schemes in 2022–2023.

Purpose of the scheme

The main aim of the scheme is to help transport businesses cope with high diesel prices and cost inflation, support the financial viability (liquidity) of operators and prevent disruption to supply chains and passenger transport services.

This is especially important because many haulage businesses in Ireland are small operators with tight margins.

How payments work

The scheme provides direct financial payments to eligible operators. Payments are graduated, meaning smaller businesses get proportionally more support. An initial payment is backdated to March 2026. Exact payment rates and eligibility details are typically set out separately by the Department of Transport once the scheme opens.

Who can qualify

While the full details are still detailed in scheme guidelines, based on previous versions and standard rules, it will include: licensed road haulage operators (HGVs), licensed passenger transport operators (coaches/buses). Operators must hold valid transport licences and tax clearance certificates. These mirror requirements used in similar schemes and other supports like the Diesel Rebate Scheme.

Link to earlier schemes

The RTSS follows earlier emergency supports introduced after fuel price spikes linked to the war in Ukraine.

The RTSS is part of a broader government approach that includes fuel excise reductions, delayed carbon tax increases, and supports for farming and fisheries.

Together, these measures aim to reduce cost pressures across sectors heavily dependent on fuel