The mileage performance of toll-liable trucks on German motorways increased again in September 2026. Compared to August, the calendar and seasonally adjusted index rose by 0.8 percent. VerkehrsRundschau reported on this on October 8th, calling it the third consecutive monthly increase.
Calendar and seasonally adjusted means that typical influences such as holidays or seasonal fluctuations are mathematically accounted for. This makes it easier to compare successive months. The index refers to toll-liable trucks with at least four axles on motorways. It therefore does not cover every delivery van and does not represent the entire freight transport sector.
The metric provides an early indicator of economic activity. When goods are produced and moved, additional trips often result. For individual freight companies, however, it remains crucial whether this translates into paid orders with sufficient utilization. The index provides no information about the price of a trip.
The weight of the load cannot be directly determined either. A vehicle that has been driven can be well-utilized, sometimes run partially empty, or cover empty miles. Therefore, no one should automatically interpret the increase as an equally large increase in transported tons or their own revenue.
For dispatchers, it is worthwhile to compare the index with their own figures. Are customer orders also increasing? Are empty runs and waiting times developing favorably? Are connecting loads available? Only this combination shows whether increased traffic on the road actually benefits their own operation.
Shippers should likewise not derive a general capacity shortage from the monthly value. For regular transports, it makes sense to align quantity planning with the service provider and communicate fixed time windows early. The new value is a cautiously positive signal. However, a reliable decision about additional vehicles or long-term capacity requires several appropriate indicators from one's own market.