Sunday Truck Traffic: What Procurement Teams Need to Keep in Mind

What’s Changing

The Federal Transport Minister has announced that the existing Sunday driving ban for heavy trucks will be relaxed. Specifically, trucks will be allowed to operate on selected Sundays and on defined routes, provided they meet certain emission and noise‑protection standards. The regulation allows companies to apply for special permits, which will be reviewed by the responsible authorities. This removes the rigid separation between weekdays and weekends, which is particularly relevant for companies with highly variable demand or seasonal peaks.

For procurement, this change means that delivery schedules can be made more flexible, but it also creates new uncertainties. Until now, deliveries were strictly tied to weekdays, so inventory levels for Sundays were deliberately kept high. With the option of receiving Sunday deliveries, companies can reduce their stock, but they must also verify the availability of transport capacity on Sundays and, if necessary, negotiate new contract terms with carriers. The transition requires close coordination between purchasing, logistics and external service providers to ensure that the new delivery windows can be integrated into existing procurement processes.

What It Costs

So far, the responsible ministries have not published any concrete cost figures associated with easing the Sunday driving ban. However, companies should expect additional expenses that stem from several factors. First, fuel prices for Sunday trips may be higher because demand for truck capacity rises at that time and providers can levy surcharges. Second, there may be extra pay for drivers working on Sundays and public holidays, as statutory working‑time regulations typically require higher remuneration for such shifts. Third, toll fees could change if special rates for Sunday traffic are introduced.

Another cost factor is the adaptation of IT systems that manage delivery schedules and inventory control. Integrating new delivery windows into planning software generates development and testing effort, which can vary depending on the complexity of the existing system. Since no official figures are available, companies should perform their own calculations, weighing the expected additional costs for fuel, labour and system adjustments against the potential savings from lower inventory levels.

What Might Break

Introducing Sunday deliveries can pose significant challenges to existing processes and systems. Many companies have already aligned their supplier contracts with a five‑day logistics model; adding new delivery windows therefore requires a contract revision to negotiate special terms for Sunday trips. In addition, existing transport‑management systems (TMS) and ERP modules that only support weekdays as planning parameters can generate error messages or produce inaccurate inventory forecasts if they are not extended accordingly. These technical gaps often lead to short‑term disruptions in goods receipt and can affect production planning.

Another aspect is staff training. Logistics and purchasing teams that have not previously coordinated Sunday deliveries need to be trained on the new processes to avoid misbookings and communication issues with carriers. Drivers themselves also require clear instructions on the changed working hours and the associated legal requirements. Without targeted training, the rollout of Sunday deliveries risks causing delays, erroneous shipments or even violations of working‑time regulations.

What the Change Requires

Switching to a delivery model that includes Sunday trips requires a structured approach. First, the procurement team together with the logistics department must analyse the current supply chain and identify which items would benefit from faster delivery. Then the existing suppliers should be contacted to negotiate possible special terms for Sunday trips. In parallel, the IT department needs to assess whether the current ERP system can accommodate Sunday deliveries and, if necessary, plan adjustments. The entire process can take anywhere from four to twelve weeks, depending on the size of the organization.

• Decision‑makers: purchasing leadership, logistics leadership, financial controlling and IT leadership.
• Milestones: supply‑chain analysis, contract negotiations, system adjustments, training, pilot phase.
• Resources: internal project staff (approx. 0.5 FTE per week), external consultants for system integration (as needed).

A successful transition requires that all affected departments are involved early and clear responsibilities are defined. Procurement must complete a cost‑benefit analysis before new contracts are signed, while logistics defines the operational details such as schedules and driver planning. IT ensures that the systems process the new data correctly, and staff are prepared for the changed workflows through targeted training. Only once these steps are finished can the company reap the benefits of Sunday deliveries without unforeseen disruptions.