Newsroom

TIMOCOM Transport Barometer: Strong domestic markets and growing east-west traffic ensure stability

TIMOCOM EN — Fri, 31 Jul 2026 15:29:34 GMT

European Transport Market Q3 2025: The Great Shift

TIMOCOM EN — Fri, 31 Jul 2026 15:29:29 GMT

TIMOCOM transport barometer: Lost transport capacity in Q3 2024

TIMOCOM EN — Fri, 31 Jul 2026 15:29:19 GMT

In contrast to the general recessionary economic situation, trends in the TIMOCOM transport barometer show a high demand for freight capacity in Europe. Freight offer figures in Q3 2024 rose by 90% across Europe, while the number of vehicle space offers generated on the TIMOCOM Marketplace continued to decline.

Demand in Europe almost unchanged

Across Europe, demand for transport capacity in the third quarter remained almost as high as in Q2 of this year (-0.1%). Has the traditional summer slump failed to materialise? Despite the economic downturn? In any case, the number of freight offers on the spot market was significantly higher than in 2023, reaching a peak in September with an average freight share of 81%. In the German domestic transport market, the number of freight offers in the third quarter was 11% lower than in the previous quarter and 66% higher than in the same period of 2023. This is a remarkable development, as the order backlog and business expectations of companies in Germany are in negative territory according to the ifo Institute. In the manufacturing sector, the index has fallen to its lowest level since June 2020. The lack of orders has worsened. This particularly affects the core sectors of German industry, but also the service and trade sectors.

The Polish economy, on the other hand, is developing more positively. According to the European Commission’s spring forecast, Poland’s gross domestic product is set to grow by 2.8% in 2024, almost three times faster than the EU average. The Polish economy has already seen a significant increase in both imports and exports in the second quarter. On numerous routes to and from Poland, the number of freight offers also multiplied in Q3 compared to the previous year. This includes routes to Hungary, the Czech Republic, France and Germany. There was also growth on these routes compared to the previous quarter.

More freight offers on the spot market due to a lack of resources

The lack of resources on the transport market due to company closures and insolvencies, as well as holiday periods, but also the fact that active transport companies have reduced their fleets for cost reasons, means that the demand for capacities is increasingly being sought on freight exchanges via the spot market. ‘Despite the declining order situation in the German economy, the need for transport remains.’ The lost capacity in the transport sector is greater than the economic decline, meaning that demand on freight exchanges remains very high in the third quarter,’ explains Gunnar Gburek, Head of Business Affairs at TIMOCOM. ‘In some sectors, demand for freight capacity can be met with the capacities that are still available, especially where neither certificates nor special equipment are required.’ In sectors that require special equipment, such as cooling units, coil trailers, truck-mounted forklifts or specific licences, there is still a great shortage, and additional capacities are difficult or impossible to obtain.’

Less capacity and fewer new vehicles

The decline in vehicle space offers on the TIMOCOM Marketplace highlights the lack of freight capacity. Vehicle space offers fell by 8% overall in Q3 compared to the same quarter of the previous year. This reveals a parallel to new registrations of commercial vehicles in the same period. According to the Federal Motor Transport Authority (Kraftfahrtbundesamt, KBA), the number of newly registered vehicles and trailers in the large truck segment fell, particularly for tractor units (Jul. -39.3%, Aug. -69.5%, Sep. -38.2%).

Offer prices and price proposals are fluctuating

On the TIMOCOM Marketplace, clients are able to set a price for the offer (offer price) and potential contractors can submit their prices (price proposals). Price developments can be derived from these two alternatives. In Q3, the average weekly offer prices for domestic German transport were between €1.48/km and €1.83/km. The average price in the third quarter was thus up to 14.9% higher than in the same quarter of the previous year. Price proposals also rose in Q3: hauliers demanded average rates of up to €1.91/km in the week with the highest demand.

Taking all European routes into account, the highest average weekly rate was €1.70/km, which is a significant increase compared to the previous year. On average, the price proposals for international transport were at the same level and thus also well above the previous year’s figure.

Outlook: Only a slight decline in freight offers expected between now and Christmas

Although a slight decline in freight offers is expected in the fourth quarter of 2024, transport demand will remain above the previous year’s levels in view of the year-end business. Due to the lack of capacity, the ratio of cargo to vehicle space is expected to average around 78:22 in October and not fall below 70:30 up to and including December (see forecast in the chart). ‘Sources in the consumer goods industry are reporting that, in view of the limited vehicle space capacity available, an exceptionally large run on the free capacities is to be expected on the busy days before Christmas,’ reports Gunnar Gburek.

More information on the current situation on the transport market and the transport barometer can be found here and in the Transport Barometer Report.

TIMOCOM Transport Barometer: High energy prices lead to declining capacity

TIMOCOM EN — Thu, 16 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMT

The transport market started 2026 with more momentum than expected, but under significantly tighter structural conditions: robust demand met a still noticeably reduced supply of transport capacity owing to numerous insolvencies and an ongoing reduction in capacity. This could intensify further because of the geopolitical situation.

Truck fleet capacity continues to shrink

Although economic momentum remained weak, a total of 41% more freight offers than in the previous year were posted across Europe on TIMOCOM's freight exchange in the first quarter of 2026. At the same time, available transport capacity continued to decline, making it increasingly difficult and time-consuming for customers to find suitable cargo space, especially on heavily trafficked routes. Truck capacity posted on TIMOCOM fell by 7% in the first quarter compared with Q1 2025. “Geopolitical tensions and rising energy prices are intensifying the pressure on transport companies to deploy their capacity as efficiently and profitably as possible. As that does not always succeed, part of the fleet is consequently taken out of service,” said Gunnar Gburek, Company Spokesman and Head of Business Affairs at TIMOCOM. This assessment is corroborated by the German Association for Freight Transport, Logistics and Disposal (BGL), which speaks of a potential fleet reduction of 10% to 20% in Germany.

Economic momentum remains sporadic

The first quarter presents a divided picture: weak trade impulses and order intake in the manufacturing sector as well as declining consumption initially dampened demand. However, further into the quarter the first economic impulses became apparent. According to the Federal Statistical Office, industrial demand in Germany rose by 3.5 % in February compared with the same month last year. Drivers were particularly the automotive industry and an increase in consumer goods of 4.5 %. The correspondingly high freight share in the TIMOCOM transport barometer in February confirms the immediate impact on the transport market. In March, the Easter business supported the market despite the escalation of the geopolitical situation.

Demand for transport services rose markedly

Across Europe, the freight share stood at 79% in March, 11 percentage points above the previous year, while January (79%) was up by 4 percentage points and February (75%) by 9 percentage points. Demand for cargo space therefore developed more strongly than the economic situation would have suggested, an indication of short-term planning and the securing of transport capacity in uncertain times.

The picture within Germany was similar: in Q1 2026, a total of 37% more freight offers were recorded than in the same quarter of the previous year. At 68%, the freight share in February, which is traditionally more balanced, was 7 percentage points above the previous year’s level, and in March it rose by 9 percentage points compared with March 2025 to 77%.

Freight share in Germany:

Jan 2026 78% (+2 pp vs Jan 2025)
Feb 2026 68% (+7 pp vs Feb 2025)
Mar 2026 77% (+9 pp vs Mar 2025)

Transport demand and capacity within Austria still balanced

The number of freight offers posted within Austria also rose compared with 2025. In the first quarter, there were 40% more offers than in the previous year. According to the TIMOCOM Transport Barometer, the freight-to-cargo-space ratio moved close to balance, with a freight share of 47% in March. The increase of 13 percentage points compared with the previous year underlines the significantly stronger market momentum since the start of the conflict with Iran. This trend is expected to continue into April 2026.

Freight share in Austria:

Jan 2026 43% (+4 pp vs Jan 2025)
Feb 2026 43% (+9 pp vs Feb 2025)
Mar 2026 47% (+13 pp vs Mar 2025)

“The challenging situation facing the economy is clearly reflected in the allocation of transport orders via the spot market. Here, customers can find cargo space at short notice, while regular subcontractors are reducing capacity or are unwilling to enter into longer-term commitments on uncertain terms. Comparable developments can be observed in numerous key European markets, especially on high-demand corridors,” said Gunnar Gburek.

Transport prices respond with a delay

At the start of the year, European spot market prices fell markedly again compared with the turn of the year. As tensions in the Middle East rose, a renewed increase in prices became visible, gathering pace from week to week in March. On pan-European routes, contractors asked for kilometre rates that were on average 9.5% higher than in the same quarter of the previous year, while customers offered an average of 8.9% more. Weekly average prices therefore ranged from €1.49/km to €1.75/km.

Although average prices within Germany were higher, they recorded a similar percentage increase in the first quarter: hauliers’ asking rates rose by an average of 9.7% compared with the same quarter last year, reaching values above €2 per km. Transport prices offered by customers rose by an average of 9.1% compared with the same quarter last year. Prices therefore averaged between €1.59/km and €1.98/km.

Outlook amid an uncertain geopolitical situation

The second quarter of this year will depend heavily on how the conflict in the Middle East develops and on any blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.

In an optimistic forecast by TIMOCOM, which assumes an easing of the situation in the coming weeks, the freight share in April will change only slightly and remain at around 80%. In May, owing to the short holiday weeks, it will rise slightly (82%) and thus marginally exceed last year’s level. In June, the freight share is not expected to fall below 80%.

“Should the conflict with Iran drag on and escalate further, this will have more serious consequences that could sustainably affect not only the sector but the entire economy. Transport capacity will be lost permanently in Central Europe and cannot be fully absorbed by hauliers or transport companies from other European countries,” said Gunnar Gburek of TIMOCOM. It is not growth but uncertainty, soaring costs and the persistent decline in capacity that are driving the logistics industry. One result could be an even more fragmented transport market, with local bottlenecks and fluctuations in prices and quotes.

More information about the current situation on the transport market and developments in the numbers of freight offers on selected European routes is available to interested parties in the TIMOCOM transport barometer report .

10 Theses on Safety and Future Prospects in European Road Freight Transport 2026

TIMOCOM EN — Tue, 06 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT

TIMOCOM live shipment tracking in the spot market

TIMOCOM EN — Thu, 28 Aug 2025 00:00:00 GMT

The FreightTech company TIMOCOM is increasing transparency and security in the European spot market by making live shipment tracking available to over 55,000 customers as of now. The innovative solution, which was previously only available to an exclusive group of customers, is now included in the TIMOCOM flat rate and closes a crucial transparency gap in the spot market.

Breakthrough for the spot market: complete transparency from order allocation to delivery

With the introduction of live shipment tracking, TIMOCOM sets a new standard for transparency in road freight transport and keeps data sovereignty with the owners. While traditional track-and-trace solutions have focused on in-house fleets and consolidated freight within fixed networks, TIMOCOM now enables seamless shipment tracking – especially in the dynamic spot market for full truckload (FTL) and less than truckload (LTL) transport.

The solution offers freight forwarders three flexible tracking options: GPS-based status updates via telematics systems, status updates from drivers, as well as manual updates from dispatchers.

Technical challenges successfully resolved

"We had to develop a solution that can be used ad hoc by more than 55,000 customers and addresses the individual needs of the customer and service provider: above all, control over the data should lie with the carriers at all times," explains Philipp Schmidt, Strategic Product Manager at TIMOCOM.

The result should be a user-friendly solution that functions as a standalone solution and can also be seamlessly integrated into existing Transport Management Systems (TMS) and Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems. Additionally, 299 telematics providers are connected to the TIMOCOM Marketplace and are available for live shipment tracking. Customers can start with the commissioning and tracking of the carriers immediately and without any technical integration effort.

Customer benefit: up to 25% greater efficiency

The live shipment tracking was introduced by TIMOCOM in 2023 and has since been recommended by the Federal Association of Goods Transport, Logistics and Waste Management (BGL) as the preferred Real-Time Visibility solution . Since then, it has demonstrated measurable benefits for all parties involved in the transport process. In dispatch alone, this corresponds to an efficiency increase of 25% thanks to automated processes. The dispatcher can therefore focus on their core task and has an overview in real time. Through the optional integration for externals, the end customer can also receive this status automatically. The advantage is that this external partner does not need to be a TIMOCOM customer.

The solution offers real-time GPS data, automatic status updates via geofencing, precise ETA calculations, digital document management, and configurable notifications for unexpected events. The ability to transfer all data directly into one's own TMS via API and thus utilise a central cockpit is particularly valued.

The live shipment tracking underscores TIMOCOM's mission to make logistics smart, safe, and simple and contributes to the realisation of the company's vision of creating a world without logistical challenges.

Availability and pricing

The live shipment tracking is now included at no extra cost in the TIMOCOM flat rate. For service providers, the service is completely free of charge. For customers, the IT company offers additional services such as carrier onboarding, strategic consulting and usage via API.

TIMOCOM Transport Barometer: Transport industry remains robust despite economic concerns and declining indicators.

TIMOCOM EN — Mon, 14 Jul 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Freight Price Insights: More transparent freight costs and clear competitive advantages

TIMOCOM EN — Wed, 11 Jun 2025 00:00:00 GMT

The new way of assigning freight: faster, easier and more secure

TIMOCOM EN — Wed, 07 May 2025 00:00:00 GMT

TIMOCOM transport barometer: Spot market gains in importance due to capacity reduction

TIMOCOM EN — Tue, 29 Apr 2025 00:00:00 GMT