ASTAG sees pollutant emissions at zero after 20 years of LSVA

The Swiss Commercial Vehicle Association ASTAG points out that for exactly 20 years, the road transport industry has effectively contributed to the shift policy with LSVA payments totaling over 25 billion francs. In connection with the announced reform of the tariff system, ASTAG is open to discussions but demands planning and investment security for road transport. The environmental policy goals of the LSVA have been achieved. Now the rules of the game must not be changed.

(Bern) The performance-dependent heavy vehicle charge LSVA is by far the largest factor in the state cost burden in the Swiss road transport industry. Exactly 20 years ago, on January 31, 2001, the first billing period began. Since then, approximately 1 franc is due for every single kilometer traveled by a 40-ton truck. Depending on mileage and emissions category*, this amounts to up to 100,000 francs per year per commercial vehicle – in favor of the federal treasury, before transport companies earn a single cent. No other country has tolls that are even remotely as high. Meanwhile, 1.5 billion francs are collected annually, totaling over 25 billion francs since 2001. Two-thirds are used by law directly for financing rail infrastructure. Thus, road transport actively and effectively contributes to the shift policy.

Emotional topic – massive value destruction

Nevertheless, the Swiss Commercial Vehicle Association ASTAG prefers to look forward rather than back at an extremely eventful and emotional LSVA history. Too often, the legitimate concerns and arguments of the road transport industry were disregarded by politics in the past – especially until 2010. The negative consequences were massive LSVA tariff increases as well as premature, arbitrary changes (“downgrades”) of the charge categories. The acquisition value of vehicles was thus dramatically reduced or even completely destroyed more than once in one fell swoop. “I understand the bitterness and the emotions that many of our members feel regarding the LSVA very well,” says Councilor and ASTAG Central President Thierry Burkart: “Not least because of the LSVA, several smaller and medium-sized SMEs have disappeared from the market!”

All the more important are fairness, proportionality, and “the effect on the target” in the announced further development of the LSVA. ASTAG is pleased to note that the Federal Council apparently – in a departure from previous practice – wants to proceed not with a “sledgehammer,” but in dialogue with the industry. With the increasing emergence of alternative drives (electric, CNG/LNG, hydrogen), discussions about systematics and tariffs are undoubtedly necessary. However, it is crucial that investment and early planning certainty are maintained in any case.

No premature downgrade of EURO Norm VI

With the reduction of pollutant emissions (carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, etc.) to almost zero, achieved through rapid fleet modernization, the environmental policy goals of the LSVA have long been achieved. It would be fatal or an unacceptable blow to the industry to fundamentally change the rules of the game now and to make the LSVA primarily dependent on CO2 emissions, for example. A downgrade of vehicles of the currently most modern Euro Norm VI should therefore only occur when a potential new EURO Norm VII is available in series for every application spectrum across Europe. “However, ASTAG is ready to constructively participate in the upcoming discussions,” emphasizes Thierry Burkart.

*The average mileage of a truck in Switzerland is between 70,000 and 90,000 kilometers. Detailed information on the calculation of the LSVA can be found on the LSVA calculator of ASTAG (www.astag.ch/wissen/betriebswirtschaft/lsva-rechner or www.lsva.ch).

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