Truck Rentals Stay Stable in April Despite Slow Logistics Activity: Shriram Mobility Bulletin

By Amit Jangra | Published Date : May 11, 2026

Truck rentals stayed mostly stable in April 2026 despite slower logistics movement, while EV adoption and passenger transport demand continued across several regions.

The latest Shriram Mobility Bulletin showed that truck rental rates on many important routes stayed mostly stable in April 2026. This came at a time when logistics activity started slowing slightly after strong movement seen during the end of the previous financial year.

Some transport routes still reported small rental increases during the month. Routes like Delhi-Kolkata-Delhi and Kolkata-Guwahati-Kolkata saw moderate improvement in truck rental prices. Other major transport corridors also stayed mostly balanced without major changes.

Few Routes Saw Slight Weakness

Table of Contents

1. Few Routes Saw Slight Weakness

2. Fuel Consumption Data Showed Slower Activity

3. Vehicle Sales Show Mixed Demand

4. EV Growth Continues Across Segments

5. Transport Industry Watching Future Policy Changes

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A few major routes showed small improvement in rental prices during the month. Delhi-Kolkata-Delhi and Kolkata-Guwahati-Kolkata routes recorded moderate increase in truck rentals.

This indicates that demand was not equally strong across all regions. Transport operators in some areas saw lower cargo movement compared to previous months. Still, overall trucking activity remained decent on yearly basis across several major routes.

Industry people believe long-distance transport demand is still present, especially on routes connected with industrial and wholesale cargo movement.

Fuel Consumption Data Showed Slower Activity

Fuel consumption data also suggested that freight movement became slightly slower in April. Diesel consumption, which is often linked with trucking activity, fell around 5% compared to March levels. Petrol consumption also moved lower during the same period.

FASTag transaction data also showed a small monthly decline in both volume and value. This suggests highway movement and logistics traffic slowed slightly compared to earlier months.

However, airport cargo movement in cities like Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Chennai remained active. Passenger traffic in metro cities also stayed mostly stable during April.

Vehicle Sales Show Mixed Demand

Vehicle sales trends during the month remained mixed. Bus and maxi taxi sales increased because passenger transport demand continued in many areas. E-rickshaw demand also remained steady.

At the same time, some freight-related vehicle segments saw seasonal softness after strong March sales. Demand for old trucks and freight vehicles was slightly slower in certain markets.

Still, electric vehicle adoption continued to grow across segments. Electric three-wheelers recorded around 5% monthly growth because of rising use in commercial and last-mile delivery operations.

EV Growth Continues Across Segments

Even with some slowdown signs in logistics activity, EV adoption remained strong on yearly basis. Passenger EVs, electric two-wheelers and commercial electric vehicles all reported good growth compared to last year.

Industry experts believe many transport companies are now slowly increasing EV usage because operating costs are lower in daily city operations.

Transport Industry Watching Future Policy Changes

Shriram Finance official Sudarshan Holla also mentioned concerns around transport sector regulations. Transport associations have announced a token ‘chakka jam’ protest in Delhi over higher environmental charges and the proposed restrictions on BS-IV trucks later this year.

The transport industry is now closely watching policy decisions, fuel trends and freight demand for the coming months.

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Frequently Asked Questions on Commercial Vehicle

1. What did the Shriram Mobility Bulletin report for April 2026?

Ans: It reported mostly stable truck rental activity across key transport routes.

2. Which routes saw improvement in truck rentals?

Ans: Delhi-Kolkata-Delhi and Kolkata-Guwahati-Kolkata routes recorded moderate rental growth.

3. Did fuel consumption change during April?

Ans: Yes, diesel and petrol consumption both declined slightly compared to March.

4. Which EV segment showed steady growth?

Ans: Electric three-wheelers continued showing steady growth in commercial and last-mile delivery operations.

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