A recent European Road Transport Institute Foundation (EITD) report has identified spot freight offers surge across European corridors in Q1.
The report assessed freight rates across Q1 2026, with March delivering the strongest momentum.
Corridors in Western Europe reported the strongest growth: the France–Benelux route recorded a year-on-year increase of 102%, while France–Germany (+73%), Germany–Benelux (+71%), and Benelux–France (+72%).
Central European routes followed a similar upward trajectory, with Germany–Poland reaching +43% and Poland–Germany +37% in March.
The Poland–Italy corridor recorded the steepest rise at +14.1%, followed by Benelux–France (+13.6%) and Poland–Germany (+13.5%).
EITD stated that the increase reflected both direct cost pressure from higher fuel prices and the amplifying effect of the spot market, which transmits cost changes into rates more rapidly than long-term contracts.
EITD CEO, Natalia Janiszewska, said: “When fuel costs spike and contracts stop reflecting what transport actually costs today, freight moves to spot.
“That’s exactly what we saw this quarter — and the spot market is becoming the primary way to price transport in uncertain conditions. That’s a shift the whole industry needs to take seriously.”
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