Teleroute protects your margins against rising fuel costs

Fuel prices have jumped more than 40% in just a few weeks across several European countries, dramatically increasing fuel costs carriers must absorb in their day‑to‑day operations. 
Which means carriers must be sharper and more responsive than ever to manage this shock. Smarter routing, fewer empty kilometers, choosing the right partners: these are the fundamentals built into the Teleroute freight exchange. Working alongside road haulers across Europe, Teleroute is committed to protecting their margins, one load at a time. 

The latest industry data leaves little room for doubt about how severely rising fuel costs carriers impact operating models. 
According to France's Comité National Routier (CNR), professional diesel has risen 42.7% in a matter of weeks for trucks over 7.5 tons, and around 38% for lighter vehicles. The hit to operating costs has been immediate: long‑distance transport costs are up 8.9%, regional operations 8.2%, and rigid‑truck operations 7%. 

Fuel typically accounts for 16 to 21% of a carrier’s operating costs, which makes fuel costs carriers one of the most decisive levers in profitability today. 
In this context, every kilometer counts, and empty runs have become a key area for optimisation — especially for operators looking to reduce empty kilometers without compromising service quality.  

Turning pressure into opportunity 

For many carriers, the fuel costs carriers face are also forcing a rethink that opens new growth opportunities. Take SA Transport, a regional distribution specialist with more than 15 years in the food and consumer goods sectors. 

Running a fleet of around ten vehicles — some burning up to 38 L/100 km in urban cycles — the company set out to diversify to absorb rising costs. Through Teleroute, SA Transport connected with around fifteen freight forwarders who began chartering its services via a freight exchange platform for road haulers in Europe.

"After a few weeks, we identified the partners we now work with on an ongoing basis," explains its director. On top of the diesel indexation already in place with its long‑standing client, the rates offered on the exchange factor in fuel increases. "That's something we watch closely — it's what protects our margin," a clear example of fuel cost management carriers must prioritise. 

How can carriers reduce empty kilometers to offset fuel costs?  

Diversification goes hand in hand with better route planning. Understanding how carriers can reduce empty kilometers with freight exchange solutions has become essential to remaining competitive. 
By layering relevant loads onto existing flows, road haulers can cut empty mileage significantly and strengthen carrier margin protection logistics strategies. 

That's exactly the approach taken by TDC, a small operator running a high‑volume articulated lorry on regional and cross‑border routes. "Three to four times a week, we run scheduled routes. The loads available on Teleroute fit around those — they fill in the empty legs, both outbound and on the return," explains its director, highlighting how to find loads on return legs freight exchange tools are key to efficiency. 

Even with a fuel‑efficient tractor unit (down to 28 L/100 km on regional routes), the price hike has bitten into profitability. "It cost us around five percentage points of margin," he says. In this context, learning how to protect carrier margins against rising fuel costs has become a strategic priority. 

Reliable partners, secured transactions 

Opportunity is one thing; trust is another. 

In an environment where fuel costs carriers cannot control externally, operational certainty becomes even more valuable. The carriers interviewed consistently point to the quality and responsiveness of the connections made through Teleroute. 

The platform delivers real‑time alerts on loads matching each user's preferences and operating area. A star-based rating system reinforces confidence between parties at every step. 

In a market where margins are under constant pressure, those safeguards matter. They let road haulers grow with less exposure to unpaid invoices and late payments — two of the sector's most damaging risks. To illustrate, both SA Transport and TDC confirm they have never encountered any unpaid invoices or late payments on operations carried out with Teleroute.