Express logistics could change significantly from July 2026. Express transport will become more expensive. What this means for businesses

Express transport often acts as a safety net today. When something goes wrong, materials are missing or planning goes wrong, the solution is quick – an express shipment is ordered. The goods arrive, production does not stop and the problem is considered solved. But this model may change significantly from July 2026.

What is to change

From July 1, 2026, a new tachograph regulation for vehicles over 2.5 tons in international transport will come into force.

In practice, this means:

• higher costs for express transport,

• extended transit times,

• less flexibility in solving operational problems.

So far, delivery transport has been used as a quick tool for solving problems. After the introduction of tachographs, this model will be fundamentally limited.

The problem is not transport

At first glance, this is a transport issue. However, in reality, it is something else. Express shipping is often not created because of the customer, but as a response to a problem within the company.

Typically, these are situations where:

• there is a lack of accurate inventory overview,

• material is not available in production at the right time,

• internal transfers are delayed,

• data between systems is not up-to-date or consistent.

Express shipping then only "extinguishes" the effect. The cause remains.

What happens when express transport shipping stops working

New legislation does not only bring higher prices. It changes the way companies solve problems.

What is solved today by a fast truck or an operational intervention will be more expensive, slower and often unavailable tomorrow.

In addition to price increases, there may also be a lack of capacity in the market, especially during seasonal peaks.

Problems that were previously "hidden" will become visible.

Where the costs actually arise

The costs of express transport are not just about the price of transport. They arise mainly when:

• orders change and planning does not have time to react to this,

• information about stocks is not accurate,

• material moves through the company more slowly than it should,

• decisions are made without current data.

In other words - transport only transfers the problem that arose earlier.

Why this concerns most companies

At first glance, logistics "works".

• trucks arrive,

• material is moved,

• production runs.

In practice, however, this functioning is based on:

• manual interventions,

• individual experience,

• operative problem solving.

This model has been sustainable so far precisely thanks to the flexibility of express transport. However, this flexibility will be significantly limited.

What will change

Companies will have to deal more with:

• accuracy of inventory data,

• system connectivity (ERP, warehouse, planning),

• management of internal logistics flows,

• ability to respond to changes without manual intervention.

It is not about “having a new system”. It is about the system being able to respond to reality without anyone having to manually correct it. 

A question that makes sense to ask yourself today

If express transport became 30% more expensive tomorrow and took a third longer:

Would you be able to function the same as you do today?

Or would the problems that express solves today start to appear?

This change is not about transport. It is about changing the way companies solve their internal problems.

Until now, speed has solved them. From July 2026, the system will have to solve them.

The first step is to find out how many express shipments are due to internal issues. If that's the majority, the problem isn't with the shipping.