Transporters and other road haulage companies have been left out of a government-announced extension of fuel assistance, which will be available until the end of 2026 and will help many motorists. This aid aims to ease the financial burden of rising fuel prices on private car owners and some businesses, but transporters—responsible for moving goods and people across the country—are not included. As a result, many in the sector are warning that they are facing severe financial challenges and are considering collective action to voice their concerns. Catherine C., who runs a tourism bus company in the Hauts-de-Seine, had hoped to benefit from the government's new aid, announced on September 22. However, transporters are not eligible. She describes the situation as "unbearable," saying her company has run out of advance cash flow and is struggling to survive the winter. "For us, it's death," she says. "We don't know how we will get through the winter. Contracts are no longer being signed." Catherine explains that unlike what the government suggests, her company cannot raise prices on existing contracts. Many of her clients, such as schools and private institutions, have fixed budgets and would cancel contracts if prices increased. A few hundred meters away in Gennevilliers (Hauts-de-Seine), Gilles G., a road transporter with 80 trucks, faces similar challenges. He buys 6,000 liters of diesel every week, spending 17,000 euros more than before the crisis. Every drop of fuel is carefully counted. Although Gilles can pass on part of the increased cost to his clients by billing them weekly, he says it's not enough. He explains that while he has clauses for renegotiating prices with clients, the amount they can afford is limited. "Nothing prevents them from ending the relationship and going to someone else who would be less expensive," he adds. In April 2026, at the start of the crisis, Gilles applied for a first financial aid of 10,000 euros, which he only received in August. He says the amount was insufficient to help his business through the crisis. Like him, thousands of transport companies today are struggling financially. Patrick Martin, president of the Medef (a major French business federation), criticizes the government for "passing the hot potato to companies" by encouraging them to pay a higher fuel bonus, which has placed additional pressure on an already vulnerable sector.