Confusion caused by tachographs, what awaits carriers in 2026

The year 2026 will bring the biggest revolution in the transport industry in a quarter of a century. One of the key changes, and one that continues to be hotly debated among carriers, is the mandatory introduction of tachographs for vehicles with a gross vehicle weight of up to 3.5 tons, which in practice means vans. Companies with light vehicles in their fleets have less than a year to prepare for the changes. This will undoubtedly be a challenge, as installing tachographs is just one of many tasks that must be undertaken.

Tachographs in vans from 1 July 2026 – where did this idea come from?

The upcoming changes will be implemented under the Mobility Package. This is a set of regulations governing road transport within the European Union. Although the Mobility Package itself is not a source of universally binding law, it does influence EU and individual member state regulations. The Mobility Package’s regulations focus on three main areas. One of these is tachographs, driver driving times, and rest periods. Implementation of the changes began in August 2020. The final planned phase will occur in July 2026. The changes will apply to light commercial vehicles with a GVM of 2.5-3.5 tonnes. This means that the regulations regarding driving and rest periods for drivers in international transport will also apply to vans. Carriers will be required to equip them with tachographs.

What do tachographs in vans mean for carriers?

On the one hand, the upcoming changes are intended to improve working conditions for professional drivers. Until now, driving times, breaks, and rest periods for van drivers have not been verified, leading to abuses. Drivers drove for excessively long periods without breaks. On the other hand, the revolution means a horrendous increase in costs for transport companies. It is estimated that after the changes, each driver operating international routes will cost their employer up to several thousand Polish zlotys more. Installing new-generation tachographs in vans is just one of several costly steps that carriers must undertake.

A tachograph in a van is an expensive problem

The first obstacle to meeting the 2026 requirements appears during the tachograph purchase and installation phase. First, installed tachographs must meet the regulation’s requirements, have valid certificates, and be properly calibrated. The current model is the second-generation G2V2 smart tachograph. A single such device costs an average of 15,000-20,000 PLN, and carriers fear that prices may rise next year. Second, not all vans are suitable for installing these devices.

The second, and more significant, issue for carriers is the need to obtain driver and company cards. Companies must apply for cards for all van drivers and for a company card, which is necessary to download tachograph data. Furthermore, drivers must be trained in areas such as tachograph operation, work and rest time management, and roadside inspection procedures. Office staff responsible for managing tachograph data and complying with regulations also require training. And training is, of course, another significant expense for employers…

That’s not all. The company still needs to purchase and implement tachograph data management software. Alternatively, it can choose to outsource such services. In both cases, this represents a significant burden on the company budget, especially for micro and small businesses, which dominate the van market. Additionally, there’s the need to establish internal procedures for downloading data from tachographs and driver cards.

Furthermore, the implementation of the new regulations will require adjustments to work organization. Transport companies will have to relearn how to plan, monitor, and account for drivers’ working hours, closely monitoring any overtime, shifts, allowances, etc. Carriers are responsible for failure to meet these obligations as the penalties are high.

Return to base every 8 weeks even without a load

Carriers consider one of the most controversial changes to be the requirement for drivers to return to their depot every eight weeks, even if the vehicle is empty. This means unnecessary CO2 emissions, additional kilometers and working time, and, consequently, huge losses for the transport company.

The future of express transport is in question

The van market is clearly concerned about its future. Carriers are being forced to assess the profitability of routes they currently operate. Considering limited driving time and imposed rest periods for drivers, as well as the high penalties for non-compliance, it may turn out that this long-profitable business will cease to be profitable by July 2026. Micro and small transport companies, which previously competed on price, are most at risk, as the revolutionary changes will force them to raise their rates, which in turn carries the risk of losing key customers. For some of them, outsourcing transport by van will no longer be profitable. To ensure liquidity, TSL companies with larger budgets are already expanding their fleets with trucks and planning to open branches in the countries they serve. Smaller companies simply cannot afford such investments, especially since many of them rely on leased vans.

Not only could the long-distance van market shrink, but express local transport is also at risk. EU member states will be able to introduce similar regulations nationally. Poland has no plans to extend the changes to local transport. For now…

Any company providing international transport using commercial vehicles with a GVM exceeding 2.5 tons that wants to remain in business after July 2026 must be prepared for massive investments. For fleets with more than 100 vans, expenses could reach as much as PLN 2-3 million. Carriers have less than a year to adapt to the changes – until July 1, 2026. Will they make it in time? Larger transport companies are confident, as they have funds and a fleet of trucks at their disposal. But what about smaller companies, which rely primarily on leased vans? Time will tell.