Goods road transport sector facing pandemic crisis

Abstract

Purpose: The aim of the study is to indicate the scope and intensity of the COVID-19 pandemic impact on the goods road transport companies’ performance and to indicate how the dedicated “support system” should work. Design/methodology/approach: The research was conducted with the use of a structured electronic questionnaire, primarily via the Intranet. In order to obtain high-quality research, the respondents were guaranteed anonymity and the data was presented in a collective agreement. Findings: On the basis of the conducted research, we found that as a result of the crisis situation the most destabilized became the transport carried out in the international space. The most important problems – out of the eighteen assessed – include a decrease in orders and a reduction in shipping rates, which with the low profitability of the industry, resulted in: serious problems in financial liquidity; retaining employees; and low levels of cooperation in the supply chain, especially concerning smaller service providers. In order to strengthen the competitiveness on the market, future strategies will focus more on the differentiation of transport services in terms of products and geography and on the regionalization of activities. We should assume that all previous predictions from month to month will be increasingly optimistic, and there will be anoticeable dynamic increase in road transport, driven by the growing demand of all sectors of the economy in need of logistics services and resulting also from the broader entry of non-European markets. Research limitations/implications: The research was conducted using the survey method, i.e. based on the opinions of respondents. The responses were often emotional in nature. Practical implications: The text includes proposals for the expected external support for the transport industry. Originality and value: The results are one of the first studies of the transport industry in Poland during the pandemic crisis. Information may be important to industry and central government representatives.