Transport barometer: Freight surplus in the second quarter
Biggest freight share on transport market since 2012
Erkrath, 2015-07-15 - TimoCom's transport barometer finally booming in the 2nd quarter of 2015. An impressive freight to vehicle ratio of 54:46 confirms the figures from this year's first quarter. There are various reasons for this positive development.
Already in April the first steps were taken towards a freight-intensive 2nd quarter. In this first month the freight share on the European transport market increased by almost 13%, compared to the previous month, to 53%. This increase was to be expected due to the Easter holidays in many European countries and concomitant four day work weeks. However, the extent of this increase is remarkable, as is the development of TimoCom's transport barometer afterwards.
Railroad strikes fill order books
When it came to freight, May brought further increases. The freight to vehicle ratio of 59:41 for TimoCom's transport barometer was significantly higher than in the previous year (48:52). A total increase of 10.6% in transport jobs delighted vehicle space providers. Due to its numerous holidays, (overly) full order books are almost guaranteed all over Europe in the merry month of May. This year, however, TimoCom Chief Representative Marcel Frings offers an additional possible explanation for this massive increase, "In May, Germany faced two major railroad strikes in a short period of time. This meant that required railway capacities were closed and that lorries had to help out. Regarding transport within Germany TimoCom's transport barometer showed a freight to vehicle ratio of 85:15 for days at a time. Transport service providers all over Europe, who came to Germany to cover demand, benefited from the railroad strike."
In June the situation normalised. Just like in the previous four years, the figures evened out to a balanced level during the last month of the quarter. TimoCom's transport barometer started into the summer with a freight to vehicle ratio of 50:50.
For the next quarter Marcel Frings does not expect any major surprises, "For July, August and September we think the figures will be very similar to the previous years. There will be a slight decrease in the freight share on the transport market early in the 3rd quarter. It will reach its lowest point in August, with a minimum freight share of 45%. Then, in September, business will be on the rise again and there will be a freight surplus on the market."