The crisis in the Italian market for trailers and semi-trailers with a total mass exceeding 3.5 tonnes worsen in March 2024. According to the Italian Association of Automotive Representatives (Unrae), which reported the data on April 22, 2024, only 1,104 units were registered in March 2024, a sharp decline from the 1,706 units recorded in March of the previous year. The first quarter of 2024 saw a total of 3,292 units registered, marking a 24.6% decrease from the same period in 2023.
Michele Mastagni, coordinator of the Trailer, Semi-trailer, and Bodywork Group at Unrae, predicts that demand will continue to contract at least through the first half of 2024. Despite these challenges, Mastagni emphasized the interest of companies in renewing their fleets, highlighted by the rapid depletion of funds allocated by the Ministry of Transport in 2023 for new trailer purchase incentives. However, he reiterated the need for structural interventions that would allow operators to plan investments over multiple years.
Mastagni also pointed out the increasing age of the vehicle fleet as a critical issue for road safety, stressing the need to accelerate the replacement of older vehicles. Furthermore, he emphasized the urgency of amending Article 61 of the Road Code to allow the circulation of vehicle combinations up to 18.75 meters long, arguing that this measure would bring multiple benefits, including reduced CO2 emissions and increased productivity in the freight transport sector.
