Every fifth cargo carrier has left the Russian market

A crisis has begun in the Russian cargo transportation market: since last autumn, every fifth player has left the industry. Companies are unable to pay lease payments and are returning trucks — this puts the entire transportation market at risk, which may eventually lead to higher tariffs.

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The peak of equipment returns occurred in the winter of 2024-25. The number of returned trucks has more than doubled compared to the beginning of 2024, Alfa-Leasing Group reported. About 20 thousand cars have accumulated in the drains.

The Avtogruzex Association reported that by the end of the first quarter of 2025, many shippers reduced the pool of carrier partners by 20% year-on-year, due to both economic difficulties and cargo shortages. The Gruzavtotrans Association provides other estimates — about 30% of Russian transport workers have stopped business due to debts and inability to pay lease payments.

The main problem of carriers is the subsidence of pricing below cost and high leasing rates, Vladimir Matyagin, president of the association, told Izvestia. For example, in mainline transportation, the tariff of the lower payback limit ranges from 100 rubles per 1 km, but in reality prices have dropped to 45-50 rubles per 1 km.

The Avtogruzex Association asked the government to compensate the leasing payments and provide preferential loans. According to the organization's calculations, the total amount of financial support requested is about 19 billion rubles.

Read more in the exclusive Izvestia article:

From the gate to the turnaround: every fifth cargo carrier has left the Russian market