The activity of road freight transport recorded in the second quarter of 2026 an increase of 9.4% in ton-kilometers compared to the same period of the previous year, according to data from the three cost, price, and activity observatories of the Ministry of Transport and Sustainable Mobility.
This overall advance is reinforced by improvements in all areas: intraregional transport grows by 6.3%, national transport increases by 9.7%, and international transport rises by 10.7%, as detailed by the National Federation of Transport Associations of Spain (Fenadismer).
In terms of tons moved, the sector notes an average increase of 7.4%. By segments, intraregional transport adds 5.9%, national transport skyrockets by 11.0%, and international transport progresses by 6.0%.
Regarding the operating costs of road freight transport up to July 31, 2026, there is an annual increase of 14.4% in fuel costs and 4.5% in insurance.
As a result, the unit cost per kilometer traveled for a general cargo articulated vehicle stands at 1.42 euros per kilometer on average and 1.67 euros per loaded kilometer.
Furthermore, in the second quarter of the year, the fuel item accounts for 31.7% of the total operating cost structure of a general cargo articulated vehicle, while personnel expenses and allowances concentrate 32.4% of the total.
With all this, the annual operating cost of a general cargo articulated vehicle reached 170,875.68 euros as of July 31, 2026.
Regarding the prices received by transport companies in that same period, there is an annual increase of 5.9% compared to the second quarter of the previous year, a behavior that Fenadismer qualifies as positive for the different transport segments according to the distance traveled.
In detail, the observatories of road freight transport for the second quarter of the current year reflect an increase of 2.0% in services of up to 50 kilometers, 6.6% in those from 50 to 100 km, 6.7% in routes between 100 and 200 km, 8.5% in journeys from 200 to 300 km, and 6.9% in services of more than 300 km.