Cabinet sets ‘truck toll’ at an average of 15 cents per kilometer | Inland

Outgoing minister Barbara Visser (Infrastructure and Water Management) thinks that the introduction of the ‘truck toll’ will make trucks more sustainable. The intention is that the net revenues (about 250 million euros per year) from the HGVC for the government will be transferred to the sector in order to ‘stimulate sustainability and innovation’. Every truck will have to have on-board equipment that registers the kilometers driven.

With the introduction of the truck tax, the heavy motor vehicle tax (the Eurovignette) will disappear in the Netherlands and the motor vehicle tax for trucks will be reduced to approximately the European minimum. “These measures focus on electrically powered trucks, the use of renewable fuels, reduction of the number of transport kilometers,” says Visser. However, the introduction costs of the tax will be ‘significantly higher at around 400 million euros’, Visser warns.

The Council of State has examined the plans and sees major risks. In addition to criticism of the high implementation costs, ‘alternatives are conceivable that may be less disadvantageous or costly’, the consultants write. “It does not appear from the social cost-benefit analysis that other policy instruments or variants have been taken into account.”

There are also risks that the ‘money is spent inefficiently, because the recirculation measure is not substantiated by a concrete investment need.’ The plan had been ready for some time, but was put on hold. However, the House of Representatives wants to be able to consider the law, despite the fact that the cabinet is caretaker.

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