Russia is facing a transportation crisis: thousands of carriers are going bankrupt due to a sharp rise in costs
13 November 20:34
The Russian freight transportation market is rapidly shrinking, with companies going out of business one by one. According to the industry association AutoGruzEx, about 6,700 carriers are in liquidation or bankruptcy.
This was reported by The Moscow Times, "Komersant Ukrainian" reports.
The sector is experiencing the worst crisis in the last 17 years: a shortage of transportation services has been observed since the end of October.
What is the reason?
The main reason is the mismatch between tariffs and real costs.
“The cost per kilometer is about 85-86 rubles, and the tariffs have only recovered to 74.7 rubles,” explains Alexey Ivanov, owner of the Alliance Trucks network.
Fuel, maintenance, insurance, and spare parts costs have increased following the introduction of Western sanctions and the fall of the ruble. At the same time, demand for domestic transportation is declining due to the industrial slowdown.
Massive return of vehicles
Due to financial pressure, carriers have lost the ability to pay lease payments and have begun to return trucks to lessor companies.
“This situation has not happened for 17 years. Since June 2025, the volume of equipment withdrawals has been growing by 20% every month,” said Mikhail Ustyuzhanin, founder of Leader Trans.
Implications for the economy
Analysts predict a further rise in logistics costs and disruptions in the supply of goods within the country. For the industry that depends on road transportation, this means a new round of inflationary pressure.
According to business surveys, in 2026, 38% of large companies in Russia plan to reduce their payroll, which could further exacerbate the crisis in the transportation sector.
