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The increase was driven by driver wages rising 6.2-7.7%, tolls going up 3.7-7.6%, vehicle financing increasing 30.4-35.5%, and leasing rates up 36.6-39.4%, despite minor 0.7-1.8% cuts in other expenses.
Efficiency metrics worsened further, by 1.3% in international hauling and 0.9% domestically, elevating per-km costs amid falling cargo volumes and nationwide roadworks, while fuel savings tapered to 4% from more than 8% previously. In the meantime, the forint has strengthened 5.1%, erasing earlier tailwinds.
Industrial output, a key driver of freight demand, was down 2.3% on average in Q4 and -3.2% for 2025 overall, hit by slumps in electronics and automotive, plus Romanian competition post-Schengen expansion.
Trucking rates rose just 3.6% internationally and 5.4% domestically, marking nine straight loss-making quarters. Firm count had fallen to 11,745 by year-end (down 314 y.o.y., and a fall of 11% from the 2021 peak). Analysts project Hungary’s GDP growth at around 2% for 2026, but with no meaningful industrial production rebound, freight demand will remain flat.
Costs face extreme rises as fuel price drops stall, the forint strengthens further, most expenses outpace inflation, and domestic tolls surge well beyond inflation to hike per-km operating costs.
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