# Road freight rates Q3 2026: record highs as volumes fall

> European road freight contract and spot rate indices reached record highs in the third quarter of 2026, at 148.9 and 147.6 points respectively. Road trade volumes on major corridors fell 4.5% quarter on quarter, while high diesel costs contributed to rising transport rates and squeezed haulier margins.

- Date: 2026-11-11 · published 2026-11-11T15:29:56.337Z
- Category: logistics · region Europe · magnitude medium
- Page: https://feedsoft.ai/events/93779-road-freight-rates-q3-2026-record-highs-as-volumes-fall
- Commodities: [ULSD / Diesel](https://feedsoft.ai/c/DIESEL.md)

## Why it matters

Higher road transport costs can increase the delivered cost of feed and agricultural inputs, even as weaker freight volumes point to softer transport demand. Elevated diesel costs are a key pressure behind the rate increases.

## Similar past events

| Commodity | Date | Event | 5-day % | 20-day % |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| DIESEL | 2026-10-22 | [Record diesel costs push grain freight rates higher across all modes \| Feed & Grain](https://feedsoft.ai/events/17227-record-diesel-costs-push-grain-freight-rates-higher-across-all-modes-feed-and.md) | -5.5% | — |
| DIESEL | 2021-07-11 | [Fuel costs push rates higher faster in 2021 - FreightWaves](https://feedsoft.ai/events/46244-fuel-costs-push-rates-higher-faster-in-2021-freightwaves.md) | -2.1% | -3.4% |
| DIESEL | 2026-05-24 | [Ocean Freight Rates Rise As Grain Movement Shifts - RFD-TV](https://feedsoft.ai/events/19450-ocean-freight-rates-rise-as-grain-movement-shifts-rfd-tv.md) | -10.0% | -18.4% |
| DIESEL | 2018-11-13 | [Cass freight indexes continue record climbs, while spot market rates hold steady - FreightWaves](https://feedsoft.ai/events/62224-cass-freight-indexes-continue-record-climbs-while-spot-market-rates-hold-steady.md) | -2.8% | -13.9% |
| DIESEL | 2022-03-17 | [U.S. Grain Barge Freight Rates Skyrocket \| Feed & Grain](https://feedsoft.ai/events/42461-u-s-grain-barge-freight-rates-skyrocket-feed-and-grain.md) | +32.3% | +20.2% |

## Sources

- trans.info: https://trans.info/en/road-freight-rates-q3-2026-record-513960

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Data from Feedsoft AI (https://feedsoft.ai/). For information only; not investment advice.