Germany truck driving bans see minimal impact despite relaxation

In several German federal states, the temporary suspension of Sunday truck driving bans—implemented to mitigate logistics issues caused by low river water levels—has resulted in only a limited increase in traffic. According to the Federal Association for Freight Transport and Logistics (BGL), while some increased activity was noted in North Rhine-Westphalia, regions like Bavaria saw almost no change. Many logistics companies remain skeptical about operating on Sundays due to existing driver and legal constraints.

Traffic experts at ADAC warn of high congestion on German motorways for the weekend of August 21–23. This is driven by the end of summer holidays in several regions, causing heavy return travel, alongside the potential for increased truck volume. Major routes, particularly those heading toward the Alps and coastal areas, are expected to be heavily burdened.

In Austria, the government has announced that truck dosing measures at Kufstein Nord will continue into the first quarter of 2027. These measures aim to manage transit traffic on the A12 to protect local infrastructure and nature from reaching its capacity limits.