There are always new regulations in traffic. These are not always beneficial for all participants, including in the current case. Because the extension of the toll for trucks (lorries) suddenly means additional costs for the transport of goods.
Traffic: Small trucks are now also subject to tolls
As reported by Spiegel, among others, the truck toll in Germany was extended on July 1 to include vehicles with a technically permissible maximum weight (GVW) of more than 3.5 tonnes. They apply to both individual vehicles and to vehicle combinations in which the towing vehicle exceeds this weight limit, provided they are used for the transport of goods. For the state, this means billions in additional revenue.
The aim of the new truck toll regulations is to achieve a fairer distribution of toll costs while creating incentives for more environmentally friendly vehicles. Companies should therefore check whether their vehicles are affected by the new regulations and take appropriate steps to register them and provide evidence.
However, there is an exception for craft businesses: vehicles transporting materials, equipment or craft products are exempt from tolls under certain conditions. However, this exemption only applies if the transport is directly related to the exercise of the craft.
This is how the toll is calculated
Previously, the toll obligation applied to trucks weighing 7.5 tonnes or more. However, the toll will not only be extended to lighter vehicles. It now also contains a CO2 component, which was introduced in December 2023. This takes into account the emissions of the vehicles and influences the amount of the toll. The calculation is based on the emission class, the number of axles and the weight of the truck. Vehicles with better emission classes pay correspondingly less.
Truck tolls were initially introduced on federal highways in 2005 and later extended to all federal highways. According to Spiegel, the Ministry of Transport expects revenues of around 7.4 billion euros by 2023.
Sources: Spiegel
By Dana Neumann