Road Haulage Market – Global Industry Size, Share, Trends, Opportunity, and Forecast, Segmented By Type (International Road Haulage, Domestic Road Haulage), By Vehicle Type (Light Commercial Vehicles, Heavy Commercial Vehicles) By End User (Mining Construction, Oil Gas, Food Beverages, Retail, Manufacturing, Healthcare, Automotive, Others), By Region, By Competition Forecast & Opportunities, 2021-2031F

Forecast Period	2027-2031
Market Size (2025)	USD 7.90 Billion
CAGR (2026-2031)	6.19%
Fastest Growing Segment	Food Beverages
Largest Market	North America
Market Size (2031)	USD 11.33 Billion

Market Overview

The Global Road Haulage Market will grow from USD 7.90 Billion in 2025 to USD 11.33 Billion by 2031 at a 6.19% CAGR. The Global Road Haulage Market involves the commercial transport of goods via motor vehicles along public road infrastructure. This sector functions as a fundamental component of supply chains, transferring cargo between production facilities, distribution hubs, and final destinations. Primary drivers supporting market growth include the expansion of industrial manufacturing and the increasing requirement for flexible door-to-door delivery services driven by modern commerce. Additionally, the ability of road transport to reach locations inaccessible to rail or maritime modes reinforces its indispensability in facilitating domestic and international trade flows.

Conversely, a critical shortage of qualified heavy-vehicle drivers presents a substantial barrier to industry scalability. This labor deficit creates capacity constraints and elevates operational costs for logistics providers globally. According to the International Road Transport Union, in 2024, approximately 3.6 million truck driver positions remained unfilled across 36 countries representing 70% of global GDP. This structural workforce gap, compounded by demographic shifts, constitutes a major challenge that could impede the sector's ability to accommodate rising freight volumes.

Key Market Drivers

The rapid expansion of the global e-commerce sector acts as a primary catalyst for the road haulage market, fundamentally altering freight distribution patterns. As consumers increasingly rely on online platforms for essential and discretionary goods, logistics providers are compelled to restructure their networks to accommodate high-frequency, lower-volume shipments typical of last-mile delivery. This shift necessitates a versatile fleet capable of navigating urban centers and managing the complex requirements of reverse logistics, where returns must be processed efficiently. Highlighting this upward trajectory, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, August 2025, retail e-commerce sales in the second quarter of 2025 increased by 5.3% compared to the second quarter of 2024, underscoring the sustained demand for robust transport solutions to fulfill digital orders.

Simultaneously, a surge in cross-border trade and international commerce is driving substantial growth in long-haul trucking operations. This driver emphasizes the critical role of road transport in connecting manufacturing hubs with international markets, particularly within integrated economic zones where surface transport offers speed and flexibility advantages over rail or maritime modes. According to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, March 2025, trucks transported $1.0 trillion worth of cross-border freight in North America in 2024, representing a 3.6% increase from the previous year. In the broader context of market volume, road transport remains a dominant mode; according to Eurostat, July 2025, total road freight transport in the European Union reached 1,869 billion tonne-kilometres in 2024, reflecting a resilient 0.6% growth despite economic headwinds.

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Key Market Challenges

The critical shortage of qualified heavy-vehicle drivers acts as a primary constraint on the development of the Global Road Haulage Market. This labor deficit directly restricts the operational capacity of logistics companies, forcing them to decline new freight contracts despite rising demand from industrial and commercial sectors. When carriers lack sufficient personnel to operate their fleets, vehicle utilization rates decline, inevitably leading to supply chain bottlenecks and extended delivery lead times. This operational inefficiency prevents the sector from fully capitalizing on manufacturing expansion and limits the overall volume of goods that can be transported via road networks.

Furthermore, the demographic structure of the current workforce exacerbates this limitation, creating a long-term impediment to market scalability. As the existing pool of drivers approaches retirement age, the industry struggles to recruit younger replacements at a rate sufficient to maintain current service levels. According to the International Road Transport Union, in 2024, the global driver shortage is forecast to significantly worsen, with unfilled positions projected to reach 7 million by 2028. This widening gap between labor supply and transport demand creates a structural ceiling on market growth, forcing logistics providers to contend with persistent capacity challenges.

Key Market Trends

The Widespread Adoption of Electric and Hydrogen-Powered Heavy-Duty Trucks is fundamentally reshaping fleet composition as regulatory bodies enforce stricter emissions standards and corporations pursue aggressive decarbonization targets. This transition involves a strategic shift away from traditional diesel powertrains toward zero-emission technologies that offer lower total costs of ownership through reduced fuel and maintenance expenses. Manufacturers are rapidly scaling production to meet this surge in demand, supported by the concurrent expansion of high-power charging infrastructure along major freight corridors. According to the International Energy Agency, May 2025, in the 'Global EV Outlook 2025' report, global sales of electric heavy-duty trucks grew by almost 80% in 2024, driven largely by supportive policy frameworks and improved battery economics.

Simultaneously, the Advancement of Autonomous Trucking has moved beyond pilot testing into commercial deployment, offering a transformative solution to operational inefficiencies and safety limitations. This technology enables continuous, 24/7 haulage operations on long-haul routes, significantly increasing asset utilization and reducing transit times compared to human-operated vehicles which are bound by mandatory rest periods. Logistics leaders are integrating these autonomous systems to enhance network reliability and optimize fuel consumption through precise algorithmic driving. According to Aurora Innovation, July 2025, in its 'Business Review Highlights Q2 2025', the company's autonomous driver system successfully logged over 20,000 driverless miles by the end of June 2025, validating the reliability of self-driving heavy-duty trucks in real-world commercial environments.

Segmental Insights

The Food and Beverages segment is emerging as the fastest-growing area in the Global Road Haulage Market, driven by increasing global demand for perishable goods. This growth is primarily supported by the expansion of the online grocery sector, which necessitates efficient and reliable delivery networks for fresh produce. Furthermore, strict requirements for product safety have intensified the reliance on specialized temperature-controlled transport to maintain cold chain integrity. As logistics providers upgrade fleets to prevent spoilage and ensure compliance with hygiene standards, the demand for dedicated road haulage services in this sector continues to rise.

Regional Insights

North America maintains a dominant position in the Global Road Haulage Market due to its established industrial base and extensive highway network. The region benefits significantly from the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, which streamlines cross-border trade and increases freight volume demand. Furthermore, the rising need for efficient logistics in the manufacturing and retail sectors supports this expansion. Oversight by the Department of Transportation ensures operational standards and safety compliance, creating a stable environment for fleet operators. These economic factors and regulatory structures collectively establish North America as the central hub for road freight activities.

Recent Developments

• In September 2024, the Danish transport and logistics company DSV signed a definitive agreement to acquire Schenker from Deutsche Bahn in a transaction valued at EUR 14.3 billion. This acquisition was intended to create a leading global transport and logistics powerhouse by merging the extensive networks and operational capabilities of both organizations. The deal was expected to significantly strengthen the combined entity's competitiveness in the global road haulage market, as well as in air and sea freight. Upon completion, the integration aimed to provide customers with seamless service solutions and improved global reach, supporting the industry's shift toward more consolidated and efficient supply chains.
• In May 2024, Daimler Truck North America debuted a technology demonstrator that combined autonomous driving software with a zero-emission platform. The vehicle, an autonomous battery-electric Freightliner eCascadia, was equipped with advanced Level 4 sensor suites and compute power developed by the company’s independent subsidiary for autonomous technology. This proof-of-concept project aimed to showcase the potential of integrating self-driving capabilities with electric propulsion to enhance safety and efficiency in logistics. The company indicated that this research would contribute to the development of a modular, scalable platform for future trucking applications, with a target for market entry of autonomous trucks by 2027.
• In April 2024, MAN Truck & Bus announced that it would become the first European commercial vehicle manufacturer to launch a small series of trucks powered by hydrogen combustion engines. Designated as the MAN hTGX, the new vehicle was developed for special applications such as heavy construction work, tank transport, and timber haulage, where battery-electric drivetrains might face operational limitations. The company confirmed that an initial series of approximately 200 units would be delivered to customers in select countries, including Germany and the Netherlands, starting in 2025. This development highlighted the company’s strategy to complement its battery-electric portfolio with hydrogen technology to decarbonize road freight.
• In January 2024, Volvo Trucks introduced a significant overhaul of its heavy-duty truck portfolio with the launch of the new Volvo FH Aero range for markets in Europe, Asia, and Africa. This new heavy-duty truck features an aerodynamic design engineered to reduce energy consumption and carbon dioxide emissions by up to five percent. The vehicle was offered with a choice of propulsion systems, including electric, biogas, and diesel engines, to support various transport needs. Simultaneously, the company unveiled the all-new Volvo VNL platform for North America, which was optimized for fuel efficiency and active safety, marking a major step in the manufacturer's transition toward net-zero emission transport solutions.

Key Market Players

• Deutsche Post AG
• Kuehne + Nagel International AG
• Schenker AG
• United Parcel Service, Inc.
• FedEx Corporation
• Ceva Logistics SA
• Nippon Express Co., Ltd.
• CMA CGM Group
• Expeditors International

By Type	By Vehicle Type	By End User	By Region
International Road Haulage Domestic Road Haulage	Light Commercial Vehicles Heavy Commercial Vehicles	Mining Construction Oil Gas Food Beverages Retail Manufacturing Healthcare Automotive Others	North America Europe Asia Pacific South America Middle East & Africa

Report Scope:

In this report, the Global Road Haulage Market has been segmented into the following categories, in addition to the industry trends which have also been detailed below:

• Road Haulage Market, By Type:

• International Road Haulage
• Domestic Road Haulage

• Road Haulage Market, By Vehicle Type:

• Light Commercial Vehicles
• Heavy Commercial Vehicles

• Road Haulage Market, By End User:

• Mining Construction
• Oil Gas
• Food Beverages
• Retail
• Manufacturing
• Healthcare
• Automotive
• Others

• Road Haulage Market, By Region:

• North America
• United States
• Canada
• Mexico
• Europe
• France
• United Kingdom
• Italy
• Germany
• Spain
• Asia Pacific
• China
• India
• Japan
• Australia
• South Korea
• South America
• Brazil
• Argentina
• Colombia
• Middle East & Africa
• South Africa
• Saudi Arabia
• UAE