India's transportation and automotive sectors recorded higher activity in October 2026, supported by festive-season freight movement and an increase in vehicle sales ahead of Diwali, according to the latest Shriram Mobility Bulletin. Truck rentals increased across key routes, while two-wheeler, passenger car and construction equipment sales recorded month-on-month growth.
Truck rentals remained higher year-on-year across all major routes tracked by the bulletin. The Delhi–Kolkata–Delhi route recorded the highest growth at 13%, followed by Bengaluru–Mumbai–Bengaluru at 12% and Kolkata–Guwahati–Kolkata at 9%. Rentals across other routes increased by 4-7%.
On a month-on-month basis, rentals on the Bengaluru–Mumbai–Bengaluru route increased by 2%, while Delhi–Chennai–Delhi recorded a 1.4% rise. However, truck operators faced operational challenges following the implementation of the BS IV truck entry ban in the National Capital Region (NCR), which reportedly led to confusion at border checkpoints.
Two-Wheeler Sales Rise 29% in October
Two-wheeler sales recorded the highest month-on-month growth among the vehicle categories tracked, increasing by 29% in October as festive purchases picked up ahead of Diwali.
Passenger car sales increased by 17% month-on-month, while construction equipment sales rose by 25%. Within the construction equipment segment, earth-moving equipment sales increased by 7%. Construction equipment sales were also higher by 21% year-on-year.
Other vehicle categories recording month-on-month growth included three-wheeler goods vehicles and agricultural trailers, both of which increased by 20%. Commercial tractor sales rose by 15%, while goods carrier sales increased by 11%.
Maxi cab sales, however, declined by 11% month-on-month, while bus sales fell by 2%.
Year-on-Year Vehicle Sales Remain Mixed
Despite the month-on-month improvement, year-on-year vehicle sales trends were mixed, partly due to a higher base in October 2025, when festive-season sales had peaked.
Three-wheeler goods vehicles recorded the highest year-on-year growth at 25%, followed by buses at 14% and agricultural tractors at 7%.
Motorcycles and scooters recorded a 28% decline year-on-year. Commercial tractor sales fell by 24%, while motor car sales decreased by 15%. Earth-moving equipment and agricultural trailer sales declined by 12% and 11%, respectively. Goods carrier sales were marginally lower.
Electric Vehicle Sales Record Double-Digit Growth
Electric vehicle sales continued to record year-on-year growth across the categories tracked by the bulletin. Electric car sales more than doubled, increasing by 115%, while electric three-wheeler sales rose by 93% and electric two-wheeler sales increased by 62%.
On a month-on-month basis, electric two-wheeler sales grew by 8%, while electric three-wheeler sales increased by 5%.
Diesel Consumption Rises 20% in October
Higher transportation activity was also reflected in fuel consumption during October. Petrol consumption increased by 4% month-on-month, while diesel consumption rose by 20%.
On a year-on-year basis, petrol and diesel consumption increased by 3.1% and 11.7%, respectively.
FASTag collections also recorded month-on-month growth, with transaction volumes increasing by 1% and collection value rising by 2.3%. However, on a year-on-year basis, FASTag collection volumes declined by 6%, while collection value increased by 9%.
Sudarshan Holla, Joint Managing Director and Chief Operating Officer – Commercial Vehicles at Shriram Finance, said festive-season despatches had supported truck rental activity in October, with the momentum expected to continue through the first fortnight of November.
He also pointed to the challenges faced by truck operators following the BS IV entry restrictions in the NCR. Two-wheeler, passenger car and construction equipment sales had recorded month-on-month growth, with festive demand potentially supporting sales momentum through November.