News / Euro road freight rates are falling, but costs are up and driver shortage persists

© Andrii Yalanskyi

European road freight spot rates are beginning to fall back to more normal levels, but hauliers still face rocketing operating costs and the continuing shortage of drivers.

The Q2 European Road Freight Benchmark, by Transport Intelligence (Ti), Upply and the International Road Transport Union (IRU) says low levels of consumer demand have driven spot rates down since Q2 23, but “due to the less-negative demand environment” in Q2 this year, they have begun to ’normalise’. 

“Adjusted retail sales, excluding motor vehicles in ...