Spring fever in the transport market
The upward trend ofTimoCom's transport barometer continues in the first quarter
Dusseldorf 2014-04-14 - Almost with the precision of a Swiss watch, the transport barometer always drops exactly 13 percentage points at the turn of the year. And so it was this time too - despite this, the year 2014 began with resounding success. The freight-vehicle ratio was with 40:60 still much better than it was at the start of the quarter in 2012 and 2013.
The tension was high in January: 2013 ended with a freight share of 54% in the European transport market. The question was: will TimoCom's transport barometer continue with its tendency and drop 13 percentage points like in previous years? This would mean that the market would begin the New Year with a freight share of over 40% - a clear indication of a good start for the whole industry. "January ended with a freight share of 41% in the European market", informs Marcel Frings, TimoCom's Chief Representative. "And with it lay 5 percentage points higher than that of 2013 (36:64)."
Sensational March
The freight-vehicle ratio in February this year was 30:70, more or less the same as in 2012 (32:68) and 2013 (29:71). However, this decrease in freight was only the calm before the storm: in March TimoCom's transport barometer displayed a sensational performance. The long-awaited change in trend in the European transport market had finally arrived. The freight rapidly rose 19 percentage points. Such a sharp increase had not occurred for over five years. The freight-vehicle ratio amounted to 49:51. "The freight share in March literally catapulted upwards. A clear sign that spring had begun well. But not only this month, in general the first quarter of 2014 held a great performance in comparison to the past two years. A good reason could be the mild winter we had, whereby no drop in production was experienced and the freight share increased", summarises Frings.
Spring and freight hand in hand
The mild winter and the already summery days have brought the first quarter of 2014 in the transport and logistics industry to a successful end. And so it will continue. Also the coming weeks will ensure that TimoCom's transport barometer remains in motion. Marcel Frings thinks positively about the future: "When you consider the past months, you can only conclude that the second quarter will be characterised by an increase in freight. We assume that during the month of April the 50% freight share record in the European transport market will be broken. In the following three months vehicle spaces will become scarce - good thing that you are well provided for and can already secure empty vehicle spaces."