The logistics service provider TST, in collaboration with Düsseldorf-based Roatel GmbH, has opened a micro-hotel specifically for professional drivers at the Gimbsheim site (Rhineland-Palatinate). The accommodation consists of a converted 45-foot shipping container, offering four soundproof single rooms, each measuring 7.5 square meters.
Each room is equipped with its own bathroom, Wi-Fi, satellite TV, table, chair, and fresh bed linen. The aim of the project is to provide truck drivers with a comfortable and secure overnight accommodation option directly at the transshipment center during their legally required rest periods.
Planned expansion to other logistics centers including e-charging capability
The Gimbsheim location serves as a pilot project. Goods for an international trading company are transshipped on the approximately 50,000 square
meter site. Following a six-month test phase, the micro-hotel concept is to be transferred to other TST logistics centers.
The planned expansion of the charging infrastructure for electric trucks also plays a role: Through the TST subsidiary PamSun Energy GmbH, the company has been advancing the development of a nationwide charging network for heavy commercial vehicles since 2024. The energy comes from photovoltaic systems on the roofs of the logistics halls and supplies both the charging points and the company's own operations with green electricity.
First Roadtel micro-hotel at a logistics site
For Roatel, the cooperation with TST is a first. So far, the 29 Roatel locations have been situated exclusively along highways and major traffic routes in eleven
federal states. The project in Gimbsheim marks the first installation of a micro-hotel directly on the premises of a logistics company.
Roatel was founded in 2019 after the EU mobility package introduced mandatory rest periods outside the vehicle. Europe currently lacks suitable motels or hotel alternatives with truck parking near highways. Roatel fills this gap with a modular, digitally bookable concept at an average of 50 euros per night. The rooms can be booked via the platform my.roatel.com or booking.com and accessed contactlessly via smartphone.
Planned for truck drivers, but also used by craftsmen
Roatel GmbH has recorded a growing demand with a 62 percent occupancy rate in June 2025. Besides truck drivers, more and more craftsmen and private
travelers are using the service. The company currently offers a total of 115 rooms and plans seven more Roatels this year. In the medium term, a comprehensive network in Germany and Europe is being targeted.
The TST Group, headquartered in Worms, employs around 3,500 people at 75 logistics locations in Germany and additional branches in Europe and the USA. In 2024, the company generated sales of over 510 million euros and manages a logistics area of around 1.3 million square meters.
The TST subsidiary PamSun Energy GmbH has already put its first Schnell-Ladepark für elektrisch betriebene Lkw into operation in Worms this year. Under the newly established brand “PamSun,” the logistics company offers depot-based charging infrastructure for heavy-duty traffic.
