BGL boss Dirk Engelhardt guest on the NUFAM commercial vehicle podcast
Dirk Engelhardt is the guest on episode 7 of the NUFAM podcast. The CEO of the Federal Association of Freight Transport, Logistics and Waste Disposal talks about what he and his 7,000 member companies hope to see from the new federal government.
After many years and ultimately two rounds of elections, Friedrich Merz finally succeeded on 6 May: he was appointed Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany. And with him, his cabinet.
One of them is Patrick Schnieder. Born in Kyllburg, the lawyer is Federal Minister of Transport and thus the main point of contact for anyone with an interest in a functioning transport industry in Germany.
The top representative, advocate and champion of the transport industry is Dirk Engelhardt. He has been the chief executive of the Federal Association of Freight Transport, Logistics and Waste Disposal (BGL) since 2017. In this role, he represents the interests of around 7,000 transport companies. In the NUFAM podcast, the BGL boss took a close look at the coalition agreement with regard to the transport industry.
Five core issues for the BGL
Before the federal election, the BGL and Engelhardt identified five core issues. These were: ‘Closing the road financing cycle’, ‘Combating the shortage of drivers’, ‘Reducing bureaucracy’, ‘The creeping demise of small and medium-sized enterprises’ and ‘The right framework conditions for a climate-friendly transformation’.
Many of these issues and responses to their challenges are set out in the coalition agreement between the CDU and SPD, according to Engelhardt in the NUFAM interview: ‘However, such a coalition agreement is just a piece of paper; what will be decisive is its implementation.’
The issues at stake
How Engelhardt otherwise assesses the new government's plans, what he has to say about the expansion of the charging infrastructure, the hydrogen engine as a possible alternative drive type, battery-electric vehicles, broken bridges, corporation tax, the multiple burdens on small and medium-sized enterprises, autonomous trucks, the driver shortage, toll exemptions for trucks beyond 2026 and much more in episode 7 of the NUFAM commercial vehicle podcast.
Engelhardt also reveals why a visit to NUFAM in September is an absolute must for anyone interested in the industry.
CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO THE EPISODE. (in german)