The mileage of toll-charging trucks with at least four axles on federal highways in June 2023 decreased by 1.4% compared to May 2023, after calendar and seasonal adjustments, according to the Federal Office for Logistics and Mobility (BALM) and the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis). Furthermore, the calendar-adjusted Truck Toll Mileage Index was 3.3% lower than in the same month of the previous year, June 2022.
Connection between Truck Traffic and Economic Development
The truck mileage on highways provides early indications of the current economic development in the industry. Economic activity generates and requires transportation services, establishing a clear link between the Truck Toll Mileage Index and indices of economic activity, particularly the production index in the manufacturing sector. Therefore, the Truck Toll Mileage Index serves as an approximate indicator of industrial production. As it is available about a month earlier than the production index, it is suitable as an early indicator for economic trends. However, it is not possible to provide a breakdown by economic sectors.
Daily Values for the Truck Toll Mileage Index Available in the “Economic Pulse Monitor”
In addition to the monthly index, an experimental daily Truck Toll Mileage Index for Germany is published. The daily values, along with other daily available economic indicators, are part of the indicator set of the “Economic Pulse Monitor” in the Dashboard Germany (www.dashboard-deutschland.de). This tool allows for a clear comparison of various statistics and characteristics in one graph, enabling the observation of economic trends almost in real-time.
Methodological Note:
The Truck Toll Mileage Index is based on digital process data generated during truck toll collection. The index records the mileage of toll-charging trucks. The index was developed by the Federal Office for Logistics and Mobility, and the Federal Statistical Office prepares it as a seasonally adjusted economic indicator for Germany and the individual federal states. Data on journeys across the borders of Germany are also provided.
Additional Information:
The monthly results for the Truck Toll Mileage Index can be found in the GENESIS-Online database, under tables 42191-0001 (Germany), 42191-0010 (federal states), and 42191-0002 (cross-border journeys), as well as on the “Konjunkturindikatoren” (Economic Indicators) page on the website of the Federal Statistical Office.
Within the scope of the “Toll Statistics,” the Federal Office for Logistics and Mobility evaluates toll data. Detailed tables compiled since 2008 are available on the BALM’s website under the name “Mautdaten Tabellenwerk.” Changes in the scope of the toll road network and the total weight of vehicles and vehicle combinations subject to tolls over time are largely excluded by the Truck Toll Mileage Index, thus providing better visibility of the economic development.
Further results from the tables of the Federal Office for Logistics and Mobility, including differentiations of toll mileage, such as by country of registration or emission classes, are available through the existing publication program. Due to the broader data range and the higher effort required for analysis, the monthly table publication generally appears later than the Truck Toll Mileage Index and is provided without seasonal adjustments or structural changes in toll collection.
https://www.destatis.de/DE/Presse/Pressemitteilungen/2023/07/PD23_267_421.html