Contract rates rose to 148 index points, up 7.9 points quarter-on-quarter and 15.2 points year-on-year, according to the IRU x Upply x Ti Q2 2026 report. Spot rates climbed more steeply to 146.8 index points, up 14.6 points QoQ and 13.9 points YoY.
EU diesel prices averaged €1.94 per litre in Q2, up 12% QoQ and 27% YoY, peaking at €2.19 in April before falling back to €1.76 in late June. The price volatility originated from the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, through which approximately 20% of global petroleum and crude oil normally passes.
Operating costs rose by almost 10% year-on-year according to the French government’s Comité National Routier long-haul truck index, which spiked from 166.29 in February to 182.03 in April.
Road trade volumes between major EU economies fell 1.6% year-on-year in Q2, a far shallower decline than the 8% recorded in Q1, suggesting stabilisation rather than continued deterioration. However, steepest declines persisted on key corridors: Germany-France (-3.9%) and Spain-France (-3.6%).
Driver availability remains a structural constraint, with 13% of truck driver positions unfilled across Europe – approximately 502,000 positions.
Spain introduced mandatory fuel surcharge mechanisms in April following operator struggles to recover costs despite legal entitlement. Germany, Ireland, Slovakia and Hungary implemented temporary relief measures during the crisis, with most expiring by end-June.
Rates are forecast to remain elevated through H2 2026 as operators continue passing fuel costs through, though softening industrial demand should moderate further increases.