Average Payment Periods to Carriers Drop to 58 Days in Spain’s Transport Sector

Shortening Payment Terms in Road Transport: An Evolving Scenario

Payment periods owed to freight carriers in Spain have seen a significant reduction, settling at an average of 58 days in October 2025. This milestone is part of a broader positive trend in the transport industry, highlighting enhanced payment discipline and evolving business practices.

A Two-Decade Perspective on Payment Terms

Over the past 15 to 20 years, the road transport sector has battled with prolonged payment times, often exceeding legal limits. The cumbersome payment cycles historically strained carriers’ cash flows, creating challenges in managing operating costs and growth. However, regulatory efforts and increased transparency have gradually nudged these periods downward, reflecting a steady shift towards quicker settlements.

Current Payment Landscape and Its Implications

As of late 2025, data compiled from the Spanish road transport sector reveals that average payment times by clients to carriers have decreased to 58 days, a figure that meets and slightly underruns the legal maximum of 60 days. This development, repeated from a similar level observed in August 2025, signifies improved financial resource flow for carriers, potentially enhancing their operational stability and investment capacity.

Despite this progress, approximately 50% of clients—mainly shippers and intermediaries—still exceed the 60-day payment limit. The majority of these delays are mild, ranging from 60 to 90 days, while a small minority, about 3%, report extreme delays of up to 120 days, though this represents a significant improvement compared to over 20% in 2022.

This ongoing evolution affects the freight carrier’s working capital and their bargaining position in logistics chains. Reduced payment periods can improve liquidity, reduce dependence on external financing, and enable carriers to offer more competitive and reliable services. For freight carriers, these changes can translate into steadier incomes and enhanced capacity for fleet modernization or service expansion.

Payment Methods in Freight Transport Services

Payment Method	Usage Percentage
Bank Transfer	60%
Confirming (Invoice Finance)	35%
Promissory Notes	5%
Cheque	<1%

Statistics Highlighting the Payment Situation

• Average payment term reduced to 58 days in October 2025, matching the August 2025 record low.

• Around 50% of shippers and intermediaries still pay beyond the legal 60-day limit.

• 81% of delayed payments fall between 60 and 90 days.

• Only 3% report payments delayed to 120 days, a significant improvement from 2022’s 20%.

The European Framework on Fighting Payment Delays

The European Commission continues efforts to enhance legal rules designed to combat late payments in commercial transactions. A European survey conducted in summer assessed the impact of payment delays on small and medium enterprises (SMEs), including those in logistics and transport, confirming widespread challenges. Approximately 73% of respondents regard delayed payments as a serious problem with many firms forced to cut investments, resort to bank financing to bridge cash gaps, and in some cases, face risks to their survival.

GetTransport’s Role: Empowering Carriers Through Technology and Flexibility

Within this framework, platforms like GetTransport.com offer freight carriers a powerful tool to navigate the complexities of payment and order management. By leveraging advanced technology and a global network, carriers gain the flexibility to select lucrative orders independently, reducing reliance on large intermediaries’ policies. This adaptability allows carriers to control their cash flows and income prospects more directly, possibly mitigating the adverse effects of delayed payments.

GetTransport.com provides a broad range of affordable, worldwide cargo transportation options, from office and home relocations to shipping bulky goods such as furniture and vehicles. Its transparent system ensures users can find the best container freight and haulage services that match their unique scheduling and financial requirements, fostering a more efficient logistics chain overall.

Personal Experience Versus Feedback: Making Informed Decisions

While comprehensive industry reviews and reports shed light on payment trends and logistics challenges, nothing compares to firsthand experience in navigating freight operations. By using a platform like GetTransport.com, carriers can choose verified cargo transport requests worldwide at competitive prices, avoiding pitfalls of unreliable payers and unnecessary costs.

This transparency and convenience empower freight carriers to make well-informed decisions tailored to their business needs, strengthening their position in the competitive logistics sector. Join GetTransport.com and start receiving verified container freight requests worldwide.

Looking Ahead: Payment Trends and Their Impact on Global Logistics

Although this reduction in payment terms primarily reflects Spain’s road transport sector, such developments signal wider optimism for freight carriers internationally. Quicker payments enhance the reliability of supply chains and the financial health of transport operators, which are critical factors in maintaining efficient global container transport and distribution networks.

GetTransport.com carefully monitors these evolving dynamics to ensure users remain informed about trends affecting international logistics, trade, and e-commerce. Staying up to date supports smoother freight shipments, improving overall reliability and customer satisfaction worldwide.

Summary and Conclusion

The average payment period to road transport carriers in Spain has decreased to 58 days, marking significant progress toward compliance with legal limits and improving sector liquidity. Despite persistent challenges with late payments among some shippers and intermediaries, the downward trend lessens financial strain for carriers, allowing growth and service enhancement.

Supported by platforms like GetTransport.com, freight operators can better navigate these challenges by accessing modern technology and global marketplaces that facilitate profitable order selection and secure payments. This empowerment fosters a more resilient, transparent logistics ecosystem, accommodating diverse freight and cargo transport needs, from bulky items to housemoves.

In an increasingly complex international freight landscape, the improvements in payment terms and innovative platforms jointly contribute to a more dynamic and financially secure environment for carriers worldwide.