Heavy Duty Trucking Logo
MenuMENU
SearchSEARCH

Fuel Protests Continue Around the Globe

The fuel price protests that have been sweeping across Europe continue to spread, with varying degrees of success

by Staff
September 19, 2000
2 min to read


The fuel price protests that have been sweeping across Europe continue to spread, with varying degrees of success.

Truckers and farmers in Sweden and Spain blocked transit to harbors, rail terminals and fuel depots to protest high fuel prices earlier today, Finnish truckers won a tax cut, and Israili truckers slowed traffic on highways, while Canadian truckers prepare for a possible strike later this week.
According to Associated Press reports, protests were expected to continue throughout the day today in Spain, with demonstrations in 34 provinces.
Road traffic to harbors and rail freight terminals was hampered by Swedish truckers, as the protests held up ordinary freight from entering cruise ship companies in Stockholm. However, the AP said that passengers and urgent transport were allowed to board and depart the ships normally.
The immediate threat of gas lines, hoarding and commuter delay subsided when truckers eventually withdrew from the oil harbors in Stockholm and Goteborg.
In Finland today, the government announced a cut in road taxes for truckers after drivers sporadically blocked traffic on highways in southern and central parts of the country last Sunday. However, Finnish truckers said a tax cut was not enough.
''It's a step in the right direction, but it's not enough. It's really peanuts,'' said Juha Norppa-Rahkola of the Finnish Trucking Association.
Truckers in Israel inched along highways leading to Tel Aviv today in a slowdown to protest fuel prices, but did not cause any major traffic problems. The truckers orchestrated the slowdown to try to force the government to roll back a 13 percent rise in diesel fuel prices that went into effect Saturday in response to rising fuel prices worldwide, the AP reported.
Meanwhile, in Canada, an Ottawa truckers group says the National Truckers Association is sending the wrong message by insisting that cuts in fuel taxes will alleviate their problems.
The Ottawa Citizen reported that Ontario members of the association, which represents about 5,000 independent truckers across Canada, have threatened to abandon their rigs on Friday unless the province does something about the skyrocketing cost of fuel.
According to Dwayne Mosley, general manager of the Greater Ottawa Truckers Association, the national body's tactics are misguided and won't likely result in any significant changes.
A spokesman for Al Palladini, the province's economic development and trade minister, told the paper that the minister has been organizing meetings with various federal and provincial departments over the next few days, in hopes that a solution can be found before the Friday strike deadline.

Topics:Equipment

More Equipment

wide angle photo of trade show booth with big "Mack" sign above, red Mack truck in the foreground
Equipment•by Deborah Lockridge•October 20, 2026

Trucks at ATA's 2026 MC&E in Charlotte, North Carolina [Photos]

From rigs decked out in patriotic America's 250 paint schemes to autonomous trucks and more, check out these photos from ATA's 2026 Management Conference & Exhibition.

Read More →
2027 HDT Top 20 Products logo beside “Nominations Open” text and images of 2026 award winners: a Cummins engine, Lytx dash cam, and Michelin truck tire.
Equipment•by Staff•October 16, 2026

Help HDT Find Trucking’s Top Products

Have you come across a new product that could make a difference for trucking fleets? Nominate it for HDT’s 2027 Top 20 Products Awards by November 9.

Read More →
Yellow Volvo VNS heavy-haul sleeper truck with rugged tires and prominent grille, parked at night on a snow-covered lot beside a black truck, with a Volvo construction machine on a trailer behind it.
Equipment•by Wayne Parham•October 14, 2026

Volvo Unveils New VNX Heavy-Haul and Vocational Truck

Volvo Trucks has launched the VNX, a new vocational truck also available as a tractor in day cab and two sleeper configurations, with one heavy-haul model. The Volvo VNX is powered by Volvo's D13 platform, which delivers up to 540 horsepower and 1,950 pound-feet of torque and is EPA 2027-compliant.  

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Youtube thumbnail showing two people with a truck and the word "fuel" behind them, the HDT Talks Trucking logo, and the words "Small Gains. Big Savings."
Fuel Smarts•by Deborah Lockridge•October 12, 2026

How GP Transco Cuts Trucking Fuel Costs, a Tenth of a Gallon at a Time

What’s another tenth of a mile per gallon worth? GP Transco shares how equipment upgrades and driver coaching turn small gains into meaningful fuel savings.

Read More →
Photo of electric OrangeEV terminal tractor with a Lazer Logistics trailer
Equipment•by Staff•October 6, 2026

Electric Yard Tractors Move Beyond Pilots

Operating-cost savings have overtaken sustainability goals as the leading reason surveyed fleets are adopting battery-electric terminal tractors, according to new NACFE research.

Read More →
Two truck tires with a muted highway background
Maintenance•by News/Media Release•October 2, 2026

Continental Introduces New Regional Truck Tires

Continental says its new Generation 5 steer and drive tires for regional operations offer longer tread life, with estimated mileage gains of 22% and 19%, respectively.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Interior of freight cargo trailer or body with translucent roof letting in daylight
Equipment•by News/Media Release•October 1, 2026

Tekmodo Introduces CargoBright Brand for Translucent Trailer Roofs

CargoBright is designed to diffuse daylight across the cargo area while performing as a working vehicle roof.

Read More →
White Tesla Semi electric truck on display on a show floor
Equipment•by Staff•September 30, 2026

Fleet Economics Shape Electric Truck Outlook

ACT Research expects costs, charging infrastructure, and technology improvements to drive zero-emission commercial vehicle adoption as federal regulations and incentives retreat.

Read More →
Red highway tractor pulling white trailer with red logo identifying Kodiak.
Equipment•by News/Media Release•September 28, 2026

Kodiak Targets Dallas–Houston for Driverless Trucks

The company says its autonomous trucks are completing the I-45 run without a safety observer taking control. It plans to remove the observer by the end of 2026.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Red kodiak autonomous truck with trailer driving through Fresno arch
Equipment•by News/Media Release•September 25, 2026

Kodiak Hauls Produce in California Autonomous Truck Pilot

Kodiak AI and DTL Transport have begun hauling produce between Fresno and Los Angeles under California’s new rules for testing heavy-duty autonomous trucks. A safety driver remains behind the wheel.

Read More →