Truck Ban in Euskadi on August 12, 2026: What Transporters Must Do

Key data

On August 12, 2026, any truck, trailer, or vehicle combination exceeding 7,500 kg of maximum authorized mass (MMA) or maximum combination mass (MMC) is prohibited from circulating on all roads in Euskadi. The measure, contained in the Resolution 5/2026 from the Traffic Department of the Basque Country, responds to the expected massive influx of people to the Basque territory to witness the total solar eclipse on that day.

It is not a time-limited or partial restriction: it affects the entire day and the entire regional road network. Transport companies with routes planned through the Basque Country for that date must act in advance.

What does this regulation establish?

Resolution 5/2026 establishes a total circulation restriction for heavy vehicles in Euskadi on August 12, 2026. The objective is to guarantee road safety and traffic flow in the face of the massive concentration of people expected in the autonomous community to witness the total solar eclipse.

The key points of the regulation are as follows:

• Affected vehicles: all vehicles and vehicle combinations with MMA or MMC exceeding 7,500 kg.
• Scope: all roads in the Autonomous Community of the Basque Country.
• Period: August 12, 2026 (full day).
• Exempt vehicles: buses and coaches, and vehicles covered in annexes III and IV of the Resolution of January 9, 2026 (essential services, emergencies, and similar categories).
• Possibility of lifting: the Traffic Department may exceptionally lift the restrictions based on traffic conditions, communicating this in advance to transport associations.
• Consequences of non-compliance: sanctions under Traffic Law and possible vehicle seizure and impoundment.

Economic and operational impact

For transport companies, this restriction means the total paralysis of operations in the Basque Country for a full day. The impact is not limited to routes with origin or destination in Euskadi: it also affects transits crossing the autonomous territory, for example, routes between the Meseta and the Cantabrian coast or towards France via the Bidasoa corridor.

The main operational costs derived are:

• Route reprogramming: detours through Navarre, La Rioja, or Cantabria to avoid Basque territory, with the resulting increase in kilometers and fuel consumption.
• Management of driving and rest times: detours may alter regulatory driving times and force reorganization of driver schedules.
• Storage costs or delivery delays: goods scheduled for delivery on August 12 to Basque destinations must be advanced to August 11 or postponed to August 13.
• Risk of sanctions and vehicle seizure if the driver attempts to circulate without knowing about the restriction, with the additional cost of vehicle impoundment.

Who does it affect?

• Road freight transport companies with routes passing through, entering, or leaving the Basque Country on August 12, 2026.
• Logistics operators and distribution companies with warehouses or customers in Euskadi.
• Industrial and commercial companies that manage their own heavy transport (fleet >7,500 kg).
• Self-employed drivers (transport operators on their own account) with vehicles exceeding 7,500 kg of MMA or MMC.
• Construction, public works, or material supply companies with operations in Euskadi.
• Freight forwarders and cargo agencies coordinating international traffic passing through the Basque Country.

Not affected by this resolution are light vehicles, delivery vans with MMA equal to or less than 7,500 kg, buses, coaches, or vehicles for essential services and emergencies.

Practical example

A transport company from Zaragoza has planned for August 12, 2026 a route with an 18,000 kg MMA truck destined for a client in Vitoria-Gasteiz, transiting through the AP-68 via Álava.

Under Resolution 5/2026, that truck cannot circulate on any road in the Basque Country that day, regardless of the time. The options are:

• Advance the delivery to August 11, completing the route before the restriction takes effect.
• Postpone the delivery to August 13, agreeing with the client in advance.
• Verify if the cargo or service fits within the exemptions in annexes III or IV of the Resolution of January 9, 2026 (essential services or emergencies). If not, there is no possibility of circulating.

If the driver attempts to circulate without knowing about the restriction, they are exposed to sanctions under Traffic Law and to vehicle seizure and impoundment, with the operational and economic costs that this entails.

What should companies do now?

1. Audit routes on August 12: review all services planned for that day that pass through, enter, or leave the Basque Country with vehicles over 7,500 kg of MMA or MMC.
2. Reschedule deliveries and pickups: contact customers and suppliers in Euskadi to advance to August 11 or postpone to August 13 the affected services.
3. Verify if any service is exempt: check if vehicles or services fit within the categories in annexes III and IV of the Resolution of January 9, 2026 (essential services, emergencies). In case of doubt, consult with the Traffic Department of the Basque Country.
4. Plan alternative routes: for transits that cannot be avoided, design alternative itineraries through Navarre, La Rioja, or Cantabria that do not cross Basque territory.
5. Inform drivers: ensure that all drivers with affected routes know about the restriction and the company's instructions for that day.
6. Stay alert to possible lifting: the Traffic Department may exceptionally lift restrictions based on traffic conditions, communicating this to transport associations. Maintain contact with industry associations to receive these communications in time.

Official source

Consult complete regulation at official source

Notice: This article is merely informative in nature and does not constitute legal advice. For specific decisions, consult a qualified professional. Source: https://www.boe.es/diario_boe/txt.php?id=BOE-A-2026-15034