Multimodal, highly connected and supported by a strong trading culture, the Dutch logistics system has brought its maritime mindset onto the road: “the bigger the ship, the greater the trade.” From an extensive motorway network to dense urban environments, heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) can reach even city-centre locations such as Amsterdam, provided they comply with growing fleet electrification requirements.
A simple glance across the country’s flat landscape highlights the importance of road freight. Data confirms this structural role: over the past decade, road transport has increased its share, accounting for 38.7% of total freight volumes. Its dominance is even more pronounced in domestic flows, where 67.4% of goods are transported by road, compared to just 18.2% for export flows, where other modes play a larger role. The Netherlands’ significance in international trade, particularly given that it is home to Europe’s largest port, is obviously a key factor in this breakdown.
The Dutch road transport sector ranks 9th in Europe, having transported 63 billion tonne-kilometres in 2024, according to the latest figures available from Eurostat. This represents a 0.5% increase compared with the previous year, but over the 2019–2024 period, the Dutch fleet experienced an average annual decline of 1.8%. Domestic traffic accounts for around 53% of the total, with a total of 33.6 billion tkm in 2024.
In terms of tonnage, traffic stood at 642 million tonnes in 2024, placing the Netherlands in 6th position in the European Union, behind Germany, Spain, France, Poland and Italy.
More than 170,000 heavy trucks are registered in the Netherlands. According to European Automobile Manufacturers Association (ACEA), around 7% of the fleet is renewed annually, resulting in a relatively young average vehicle age of 9.8 years. The transition to alternative fuels is progressing, although still at an early stage. In 2024, 1.2% of the fleet was electric, while around 1.0% ran on LNG, placing the Netherlands among the leading countries in Europe in terms of alternative fuel adoption, both in absolute and relative terms.
Momentum is accelerating, in 2025, battery electric truck (BEV) registrations increased by 83.3% year-on-year, reaching 878 units sold, according to ACEA statistics. The shift towards electrification is most evident in the 3.5–16-tonne vehicle category, which saw a 523.4% increase in 2025, reaching 1,147 units.
In total, registrations of new heavy-duty electric vehicles rose by 205.4% last year in the Netherlands, reaching 2,025 vehicles. This trend is even more remarkable given that, at the same time, total registrations of new heavy goods vehicles fell by 40.4%, from 18,684 in 2024 to 11,131 in 2025. The share of battery-electric trucks in new registrations thus rose from 3.6% to 18.2%.
The structure of the semi-trailer fleet reflects the diversity of freight activity. Palletized goods dominate, typically transported using tautliners and box trailers, which offer flexibility for high-frequency distribution flows.
Source: CBS, 2024.
At the same time, average distances travelled remain relatively short, highlighting the country’s role as a high-intensity distribution and transit hub, where road transport is closely integrated with multimodal operations and transhipment flows.
Source: CBS, 2024.
The Netherlands has traditionally been a strong market for new trucks and is now positioning itself at the forefront of both powertrain transition and vehicle scaling. Longer and Heavier combinations (LZV from Dutch “Langere en Zwaardere Voertuigen”) can load a maximum weight of 60mt and have a length of 25,25m. Initially introduced through pilot projects more than 15 years ago, these vehicles are now fully operational on designated routes, subject to specific permits. Even without an LZV permit, standard heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) in the Netherlands are allowed to operate at up to 50 tonnes on much of the road network, compared to the 40-tonne limit commonly applied in international transport across the EU. This effectively provides a 25% increase in payload capacity per vehicle, reinforcing the country’s focus on transport efficiency.
Efficiency gains are also visible in operational metrics. Over the past two decades, the share of empty running has declined from 26% to 23%, according to Eurostat. This relatively high level of efficiency reflects a well-balanced flow of goods, particularly along key corridors with Belgium and Germany, where import and export volumes are closely aligned. This is clearly less the case, however, with France and the United Kingdom.
Finally, the table below illustrates road cabotage operations by country, highlighting where the activity takes place and which operators are involved. It shows how Dutch hauliers optimise vehicle utilisation across neighbouring markets, particularly through connections with Belgium and Germany.
Another relevant observation highlights to the strong presence of foreign operators in the domestic market, with carriers from Poland and Romania accounting for a significant share of cabotage transport within the Netherlands.
Source: Eurostat
A recurring concern in the road freight sector is the structural shortage of drivers. Despite their central role in supply chains, truck drivers often face challenging working conditions, including long waiting times, extended periods away from home, and rest breaks spent in service areas. Labour costs are a major component of operating expenses. In the Netherlands, driver wages can account for over 30% of total transport costs, depending on the type of operation and route. With hourly wages often exceeding €25, the sector is particularly exposed to labour market constraints in a country characterised by low unemployment.
According to Statistics Netherlands, there were around 202,000 heavy goods vehicle (HGV) drivers in 2022, of which only 16% were women. The age structure of the workforce is another major concern. Carriers are increasingly investing in training programmes and recruitment initiatives, including international hiring, to address the shortage. However, the profession remains relatively unattractive to younger workers, contributing to a gradual ageing of the workforce, a worldwide trend also highlighted in studies by the International Road Transport Union.
The number of truck driving licences significantly exceeds the number of active drivers. As of 1 January 2026, there were over 531,000 licences in the Netherlands, but around 40% were held by individuals aged over 60. At the same time, the share of licence holders under 40 has declined (from 41% to 35%), representing a drop of nearly 5,000 licences in this age group compared to January 2015.
Source: CBS
The Dutch tradition of seeking a “goedkoop” (good value = low cost) solution contrasts with the high upfront investment required for low-emission transport systems. In practice, however, the Netherlands operates as a real-world laboratory, where renewable energy has long been used to power industry and support land development.
In logistics, this transition is increasingly visible. Integrated systems combining photovoltaic installations on warehouse rooftops with electric fleets can significantly reduce variable energy costs for charging battery electric vehicles (BEVs). Even within the public network, the country’s high-density charging infrastructure is beginning to support a competitive total cost of ownership (TCO) for carriers willing to invest.
Adoption is accelerating. Multiple factors are driving this shift. The high upfront cost of BEVs remains the main barrier, followed by concerns around driving range, charging availability and long-term battery performance. However, projections from institutions such as ING, Rabobank and the International Council on Clean Transportation suggest that cost parity with diesel vehicles is approaching, strengthening the economic case for electrification.
Policy developments further reinforce this trend. The new kilometer-based toll system, expected to start on 1 July 2026, is projected by Panteia to increase operating costs by up to 9.8% for conventional vehicles. Under this system, zero-emission trucks will benefit from significantly lower charges, improving their relative cost position compared to diesel vehicles operating under the previous Eurovignette scheme.
The toll will cover almost all motorways as well as several main provincial and municipal roads. As a result, the impact will be particularly significant on domestic short-haul operations (where most freight volumes are concentrated) which will be strongly incentivised to electrify, thereby reducing total cost of ownership over the medium term.
In conclusion, Dutch transport operators have demonstrated a strong ability to adapt, innovate and remain profitable in a highly constrained environment. This resilience of the Dutch road freight sector is a clear asset underpinning the Netherlands’ position as a major European logistics hub.