A prominent Russian industry representative, Vladimir Matyagin, who chairs the National Association of Freight Road Transport Grusavtotrans, has addressed the president and submitted a formal letter to the State Duma urging that mobilization of truck drivers be halted. The National News Service reported this move, highlighting concerns about how mobilization could affect essential logistics and freight operations nationwide.
Matyagin emphasizes that mobilization risks pulling qualified specialists from transport companies. Typically, workers of military age who have prior service and possess specialized driving skills are already employed in logistics roles. If a wide portion of these drivers are drafted, there is a real fear that the country could face gaps in its ability to move goods, potentially disrupting supply chains and increasing costs for businesses and consumers alike.
In a surprising development, some drivers who previously served in the armed forces and were attached to defense-related tasks have been subject to partial mobilization. Reports indicate that those assigned to recover equipment from active sites or to work on restoring damaged infrastructure within Russian territory are being called away, even though their work intersects with the defense sector. This overlap has raised questions about how mobilization policies are implemented and their impact on critical infrastructure support roles.
Matyagin states that drivers are being taken away at a pace that makes finding suitable replacements difficult. He notes that when vehicles sit idle, companies incur credit and lease obligations, and the entire supply chain bears the burden. He argues that the leadership must provide clarity and support to keep business operations functioning, rather than creating friction between contractors and creditors. In his view, the government should align mobilization policy with the needs of the transport sector to prevent unnecessary disruption and economic strain on enterprises big and small.
In smaller fleets, a common pattern has emerged where ten vehicles on the balance sheet see five workers mobilized. Matyagin calls for urgent steps to protect operational capacity, proposing special exemptions or reservations to ensure that essential logistics services continue uninterrupted. He underscored the need for a timely decision so that safeguarding measures can take effect before the situation seriously hampers daily operations. The absence of clear guidance on this topic remains a point of concern for industry players and financial partners alike.
Separately, industry observers note a shift in traffic patterns that could influence driver demand. As routes increasingly pivot toward Asian destinations, there is a growing need for a larger pool of trained drivers to accommodate the expanded service footprint. The change in routing requires careful planning, balancing workforce availability with the evolving needs of international and domestic freight corridors. This dynamic underscores the strategic importance of maintaining a robust transportation workforce while navigating the pressures of mobilization and policy implementation.