Freight News, Logistics, Road

Road demand surges ahead of holiday

[ May 21, 2026   //   Chris Lewis ]

Demand for road transport capacity rose sharply in April as Good Friday and Easter Monday compressed available working days and businesses rushed to move freight ahead of the Early May Bank Holiday according to carrier sourcing platform TEG.

Artic demand rose 20% and haulage demand rose 12.6% during April. Carrier availability fell 9.95% across the month, leaving 3PLs competing for a shrinking pool of capacity at a time when they could least afford disruption.

The numbers come against a backdrop of growing supply chain strain across UK business. The Institute of Directors reported this month that one in five UK firms have already experienced supply chain shortages linked to the Middle East conflict, while over half expect further disruption in the coming months. Yet only 37% have taken any action to mitigate the impact.

Rising fuel costs add a further layer of pressure. When diesel prices spike, the margin on pre-agreed loads can shrink and carriers may walk away from work that no longer covers their costs. For the 3PL that booked that carrier, the load still needs to move, often at short notice, creating a scramble to re-source capacity and keep freight flowing.

TEG head of enterprise, James Mead, said: “The underlying trend matters more than any single month. Demand is rising, capacity is tightening, and fuel costs are making carriers pickier about which loads they take. Each pressure point compounds the last.”

Tags: TEG