More free capacity is available in European road freight since industry has implemented further production cutbacks in light of the weak demand for exports and the sluggish economic climate. Available transport capacity rose 15.5% in November 2019, from 111 to 128 index points, according to the “Transport Market Monitor” published by logistics specialist Transporeon (Ulm / Germany; www.transporeon.com) and its subsidiary Tim Consult. Since October, available freight transport space increased by more than a third in overall terms.

Transport prices are only falling slightly, by contrast, with the transport price index dropping from 102.9 to 100.1 index points. This corresponds to a decline of 2.7%. Transport prices were thus 4.2% lower than in November 2018.

“It is worrying that the amount of available transport capacity has risen again for a number of key industries. This would suggest further cutbacks in production and, at all events, reduced capacity utilisation for industrial plants,” said Oliver Kahrs, managing director of Tim Consult. In the automotive industry, for example, available transport capacity underwent two-digit growth in November.