The year 2023 proved to be challenging for the Italian market of trailers and semi-trailers with a total mass exceeding 3.5 tons. Unrae data indicate that Italian registrations from January to December totaled 15,561 units, marking a 7.3% decline compared to the previous year. Out of the twelve months, eight recorded a drop in comparison to the same period in 2022, with December experiencing a drastic 34% decrease (869 units registered against 1,316).
Michele Mastagni, Unrae's Trailer and Semi-Trailer Group coordinator, expressed concerns over the current state of affairs. "While we welcome the recent measures for incentives to renew the commercial vehicle fleet, these funds are grossly insufficient, in our opinion," he stated. "This is especially true for the requests related to the purchase of trailers and semi-trailers, which typically exhaust the dedicated ceiling within moments of opening reservations during the so-called click-days".
The association urges the government to establish a multi-year fund for incentives aimed at modernizing the fleet. Additionally, Mastagni noted, "We reiterate our hope that during the ongoing parliamentary examination of the Draft Law for the reform of the Highway Code, our proposal to amend Article 61 is accepted. This change would allow the vehicles up to 18.75 meters in length to finally circulate in our country, to implement a long-awaited regulation, pending for nearly three years".