Heavy Duty Trucking Logo
MenuMENU
SearchSEARCH

German Truckers Prepare for Another Round of Fuel Protests

German truckers frustrated over high fuel prices and diesel taxes are organizing more demonstrations

by Staff
December 13, 2000
1 min to read


German truckers frustrated over high fuel prices and diesel taxes are organizing more demonstrations.

According to the Journal of Commerce, truckers are scheduled to gather next week in Hamburg, the site of Germany's largest container port, for a major demonstration to try to get the government’s attention.
Dubbed the "Port and City Tour," the protest is expected to attract hundreds of trucks on Monday.
German law prohibits blockades like the ones that occurred in France, Belgium and Britain last summer. However, peaceful demonstrations are allowed, and the protests are managing to halt traffic at some of the country’s key intersections, JoC said.
Karlheinz Schmidt, managing director of one of Germany's big trucking groups, the Bundesverband Gueterkraftverkehr, Logistik und Entsorgung, told the JoC that many small and medium-sized German motor carriers face possible bankruptcy because of soaring costs.
“We want to become a permanent fixture during election campaigns,” she said.
German truckers followed the lead of their counterparts in France and England in September with fuel price protests. The German government implemented tax breaks and subsidies targeted at people who drive to work, people on welfare and students. But officials made no move to cut high fuel taxes for truckers, along with farmers and taxi drivers who had been protesting.

Topics:Equipment

More Equipment

Gray Volvo tractor pulling trailer on open highway
Fuel Smartsby Deborah LockridgeMay 1, 2026

New High-Horsepower Natural Gas Engine Could Expand Fleet Options

Westport and Volvo are demonstrating a 500-hp truck with diesel-like efficiency — one that also offers what Westport says is a better pathway to using hydrogen fuel in trucks.

Read More →
Aurora Innovation self-driving truck.
Equipmentby News/Media ReleaseApril 30, 2026

Hirschbach Announces Plan to Deploy 500 Aurora Autonomous Trucks

Hirschbach and Aurora Innovation have inked a non-binding deal outlining a path to deploy 500 Aurora Driver-powered trucks into fleet operations.

Read More →
Bosch-Kodiak self-driving truck partnership.
Equipmentby News/Media ReleaseApril 30, 2026

Bosch, Kodiak AI Advance Toward Scaled Production of Autonomous Truck Hardware

New sensor integrations and component validation signal a shift from strategy to execution as Kodiak and Bosch push toward high-volume driverless truck deployment.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Great American Trucks: REO
Equipmentby Jack RobertsApril 29, 2026

Great American Trucks: REO

The evolution of the modern truck was a long, slow affair. But perhaps no other company did more to establish the template for what a modern truck should be, and how it should perform, than REO.

Read More →
Western Star's Star Nation customer event.
Equipmentby News/Media ReleaseApril 27, 2026

Western Star Doubles Down on Driver Pride With 2026 Star Nation Experience

Western Star has expanded its operator-focused Star Nation competition and outreach to spotlight skill, attract new drivers, and strengthen industry ties.

Read More →
HDT Spotlight: Volvo VNR test drive.
Equipmentby Jack RobertsApril 23, 2026

Is the All-New VNR Volvo's Safest Truck Ever?

The all-new Volvo VNR is jam-packed with advanced safety features. Join HDT for a first-hand look at how Volvo is keeping drivers safer and productive on the road.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
2026 Volvo VNR
Equipmentby Jack RobertsApril 22, 2026

Volvo Redesigns the VNR With Drivers and Tight Turns in Mind

At Volvo’s New River Valley customer center, the all-new VNR proves that maneuverability, safety, and driver confidence can coexist in a regional-haul workhorse.

Read More →
Great Dane trailer.
Equipmentby News/Media ReleaseApril 21, 2026

FTR: Trailer Orders Jump in March, but Demand Still Lags

March trailer orders posted an unexpected monthly jump, but demand still trails historical norms as fleets prioritize power units over trailing equipment.

Read More →
Humble cabless autonomous freight hauler.
Equipmentby News/Media ReleaseApril 21, 2026

Autonomous Start-Up Humble Announces Cabless Autonomous Electric Hauler

A new autonomous truck startup company is targeting yard, port, and short-haul freight with a lighter, fully autonomous platform designed for dock-to-dock moves.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Circles with trucks demonstrating sustainable features and Top Green Fleets logo
Fuel Smartsby Deborah LockridgeApril 16, 2026

Top Green Fleets of 2026: Nomination Deadline Extended

Is your company a leader in sustainability efforts among trucking fleets? If so, Heavy Duty Trucking's editors want to hear from you.

Read More →