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IRU member the American Trucking Associations (ATA) has been calculating the tonnage index based on surveys from its membership since the 1970s.

Fuel accounts for a third of a road transport operator’s costs. Emissions trading, taxes, supply uncertainty and alternative fuels will all impact fuel prices in the EU. Where are we headed?

IRU member the American Trucking Associations (ATA) has been calculating the tonnage index based on surveys from its membership since the 1970s.

The European road freight rates index shows that Q2 rates fell in the contract index by 1.3 points quarter on quarter. In contrast, the spot rate index rose by 3.5 points quarter on quarter.

Road freight operators are spending more on wages, equipment and services. This article, based on the latest IRU Intelligence Briefing, breaks down their investments and costs.

As the new European Parliament sits for the first time, IRU looks forward to working with MEPs to drive a more sustainable, efficient and innovative EU road transport sector. Priority policy actions are outlined in IRU’s Manifesto.

Both road freight spot and contract rates fell in Q1 2024. Here are three key trends shaping European freight rates right now.

Which EU countries have the highest volumes of imports and exports by road? Where are the busiest country-to-country corridors? Which transport modes are moving the most imports and exports inside the EU and between the EU and other countries? Are trends changing over time? How much road freight moves by combined transport – using more than one mode of transport – across the EU, and in individual countries? This Intelligence Briefing breaks down modal split and combined freight transport trends

The trucking industry is facing a chronic shortage of drivers. How are companies dealing with it? IRU member CEVA Logistics has turned its focus inward to reduce their exposure to the risks associated with driver shortages.

IRU member CANACAR discussed the role of women in Mexico’s trucking industry and elected new leaders at its General Assembly.

IRU’s new European truck driver shortage report has found that over half of operators are unable to expand their business due to the shortage of drivers.

The EU has a remarkably versatile truck fleet consisting of over 6.75 million vehicles. This IRU Intelligence Briefing unpacks this figure, looking at vehicle age, distribution, configuration, usage versus capacity, and much more.

The Upply x Ti x IRU European road freight rates index shows that the Q4 spot rate index was down 14.8 points year over year. However, the quarter-over-quarter fall in the contractual rates index was limited to 0.9 points, due to high costs and, in particular, the toll increases in Q4 2023.

In 2023, IRU, backed with on-the-ground information from its members, continued to report and analyse global driver shortages: a chronic issue threatening mobility networks and supply chains. This article offers an overview of some of IRU’s efforts to analyse the situation, raise awareness and advance solutions.

The Upply x Ti x IRU European road freight rates index for Europe shows that the Contract Rate Index is down 0.2 points quarter on quarter, although it remains up 2.8 points year on year. Meanwhile, the Spot Rate Index is down 3.5 points quarter on quarter and down 7.5 points year on year.

Two new features have been added to the Intelligence Platform: fuel prices for compressed natural gas and an interactive map to view all driving restrictions along a trip.

The Upply x Ti x IRU European road freight rates index for Europe shows that both spot and contract rates are falling q-o-q, dropping by 7.5 and 2.8 points, respectively.

In this special series, we spotlight some of the women leaders of our industry, starting with Iro Doumani, General Manager of IRU member the Hellenic Federation of Road Transport (OFAE), and Vice President of IRU’s Goods Transport Council.

The Upply x Ti x IRU European road freight rates index for Europe shows that spot rates fell by 2.4 index points in Q4 2022 vs Q3. This represents the first fall in the spot index since Q1 2020, but spot rates still remain up 18.1 points on Q4 2021. Meanwhile, the contract rates index rose 0.4 points quarter-on-quarter in Q4 and contract rates are now up 19.0 points year-on-year.

In 2022, IRU, backed with on-the-ground information from its members, continued to report and analyse global driver shortages: a chronic issue threatening the stability and continuity of mobility and supply chains. This article offers an overview of IRU’s efforts to analyse the situation, raise awareness and advance solutions.

Bus and coach services occupy a vital role in society. In the EU, they’re the most used mode of collective transport. Given the current shortage of drivers, you would think that everything possible would be done to attract more drivers.

In November’s figure of the month, we look at truck driver jobs and what’s behind “44%”. Hint: it’s related to demand.

Diesel prices, driver shortages and drought in Europe have all played a significant role to push average European road freight rates up again in Q3 despite lower consumer spending. However, data from the end of the quarter shows prices softening towards the end of Q3.

Inflation, weakening demand, social instability and the war in Ukraine are leading to tumultuous developments in road freight prices, reveals the Ti / Upply / IRU Road Freight Rate Benchmark for Q2 2022. For the first time, this edition offers a separate analysis of the evolution of spot and contract rates.

The Upply Ti IRU European road freight rates index for Europe hit an all-time high in Q1 2022 as rising cost pressures, supply and capacity disruptions, regulatory change and war in Ukraine created a potent mix of rate drivers. The Benchmark index rate rose by 4.3 points over the previous quarter, while it increased 7.5 points over the first quarter of 2021.    

The European Road Freight Rate Benchmark for Q4 2021 shows that prices ended 2021 at historic highs across Europe, driven by a volatile mix of drivers over the year with supply chain congestion, supply shortages, cost increases and spiking demand from economic reopenings across the region. The potent mix of factors, which pushed the Benchmark to new record highs three times in 2021, shows few signs of unwinding in the immediate term. 

The European Road Freight Rate Benchmark for Q3 shows that prices have hit historic highs across Europe, driven by a mix of robust economic growth, global supply chain bottlenecks, rising costs and scarce capacity. Ti and Upply are joined by IRU for the Q3 Benchmark for the first time.

Through a new partnership with Upply, IRU is providing its members with pricing information to help them make the best possible business decisions.