By Maria Teresa Di Matteo, President NATIONAL REGISTER OF CARRIERS
Italian trucking industry shows a complex, sometimes contradictory face. Together with Germany, Poland, Spain, United Kingdom and France we are part of the six leader countries in the field of goods transport, but we have been ranked last. We operate within one of the world’s largest markets, which is rich in opportunities but still suffers the consequences of an aggressive and harmful competitiveness. Road haulage has been deeply affected by the effects of social dumping: EU’s markets have accelerated so quickly that national operators have suffered the unfair competitiveness of a growing number of countries, whose lower costs and less restrictive working conditions have damaged the dynamic of market equilibrium. At the same time, the need to remain competitive has led to the deterioration of national workers’ conditions and remunerations; in some cases, businesses have been moved to tax haven countries, with a strong impact on national economy. The Internet of Things, or, better saying, analysis and data management technology as well as satellite telematics represent the key factor to stand up and promote the growth of road haulage business, thus allowing the re-engineering of goods transport and distribution processes in an integrated approach in which speed, route management, vehicles, organizational control and efficiency, safety and environmental issues all become interactive and interconnected factors. Today is the future: competitive road haulage is already immersed in this process. The growth of e-commerce represents another valid opportunity. According to recent research, the numbers of on-line commerce in Italy have risen from 6,6 billion euro in 2009 to 23,627 billion in 2017, recording a 17% rise. The commerce revolution is experiencing new delivery system model. This part of the market will constantly expand with tailor made solutions and a new organizational model of this field. Italian companies should take advantage of such an opportunity, in order not to encourage consistent investments abroad.