The average value of funds “frozen” in unpaid invoices reaches PLN 75.5 thousand. PLN, and every fourth company has receivables of up to PLN 250,000. zloty.
Most companies recover money within two weeks (43%), but every fifth company waits a month for payment, and almost every tenth waits two months or longer. Such delays result in a loss of liquidity and the need to limit current expenses or seek external financing.
— Transport is an industry that operates in constant tension – between rising operating costs and payment delays. High fuel prices or a lack of drivers are difficult to control, but the risk of payment backlogs can be reduced (…) – said Piotr Taras, director of business financing at Bibby Financial Services Polska.
See also: Debts of the smallest companies. This is the most indebted industry
“On the verge of profitability”
The difficult situation of the industry is influenced by, among others, increase in fuel and road toll costs, fewer international transport orders and decreased profitability.
— The Polish transport industry operates on the verge of profitability. The profitability of companies is falling, and falling margins do not allow them to finance their activities from their own funds. As a consequence, the number of active companies and vehicles is decreasing. In this situation, the consolidation process becomes inevitable because Polish carriers lose the ability to compete on the open European market – said Jan Buczek, president of the Association of International Road Carriers in Poland.
Read also: Almost 400 people with debts exceeding PLN 1 million. “Assets can be difficult to identify”
Experts warn that the risk of payment backlogs in transport has a domino effect – problems of one contractor quickly spread to subsequent links in the supply chain. For smaller companies, this could mean losing liquidity in just a few weeks.
The study “The situation in the transport industry – 2025” was conducted in September 2025 among 100 transport companies in Poland. Bibby Financial Services is a factoring company, part of the Bibby Line Group. Provides entrepreneurs with various financial tools; has been operating in Poland since 2002.
