# Record rates mask 'dire situation' for hauliers as costs outstrip earnings

> The Q3 2026 European Road Freight Rate Benchmark from IRU, Upply and Transport Intelligence shows contract and spot road freight rates at record levels. Operating costs are rising faster than rates, with French costs up about 14% January to September against 7% for contract rates. The industry bodies attribute the cost rise mainly to diesel, which averaged €2.05 per litre in Q3, up 32% year on year.

- Date: 2026-11-11 · published 2026-11-12T09:10:33.403Z
- Category: logistics · region Europe · magnitude low
- Page: https://feedsoft.ai/events/95281-record-rates-mask-dire-situation-for-hauliers-as-costs-outstrip-earnings
- Commodities: [ULSD / Diesel](https://feedsoft.ai/c/DIESEL.md)

## Why it matters

Diesel-driven haulage cost increases raise the delivered cost of feed ingredients across Europe and may force further rate pass-through to shippers. Margin stress could also reduce hauling capacity, adding upward pressure on logistics costs.

## Read by commodity

- DIESEL: bullish ▲

## 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 | 2026-04-14 | [US truckers' diesel spending hits record high on Middle East conflict \| Reuters](https://feedsoft.ai/events/19889-us-truckers-diesel-spending-hits-record-high-on-middle-east-conflict-reuters.md) | -7.0% | +4.5% |
| DIESEL | 2023-09-12 | [US East Coast scrambles for distillates ahead of refiner maintenance \| Reuters](https://feedsoft.ai/events/34295-us-east-coast-scrambles-for-distillates-ahead-of-refiner-maintenance-reuters.md) | -2.4% | -12.2% |
| DIESEL | 2026-08-04 | [Record Grain Movement Meets Rising Harvest Freight Costs - RFD](https://feedsoft.ai/events/18086-record-grain-movement-meets-rising-harvest-freight-costs-rfd.md) | +5.6% | +11.0% |
| DIESEL | 2025-06-26 | [Freight Rates for Transatlantic Voyages Soar as Europe Pulls More US Diesel - OPIS, A Dow Jones Company](https://feedsoft.ai/events/24386-freight-rates-for-transatlantic-voyages-soar-as-europe-pulls-more-us-diesel.md) | +4.9% | +7.2% |

## Sources

- theloadstar.com: https://theloadstar.com/record-rates-mask-dire-situation-for-hauliers-as-costs-outstrip-earnings/

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