Innovative methods in European road freight transport statistics : A pilot study

Abstract

By using innovative methods, such as the automated transfer of corporate electronic data to National Statistical Institutions, official transport data can be significantly improved in terms of reliability, costs and the burden on respondents. In this paper, we show that the automated compilation of statistical reports is possible and feasible. Based on previous findings, a new method and tool were developed in cooperation with two business partners from the logistics sector in Austria. The results show that the prototype could successfully be implemented at the partner companies. Improved data quality can lead to more reliable analyses in various fields. Compared to actual volumes of investments into transport, the costs of transport statistics are limited. By using the new and innovative data collection techniques, these costs can even be reduced in the long run; at the same time, the risk of bad investments and wrong decisions caused by analyses relying on poor data quality can be reduced. This results in a substantial value for business, research, the economy and the society.

A new statistical approach for China road freight transport at a subnational level

“…Note that approximately three-fourths of goods are shipped by trucks, and road freight transportation remains dominant across all freight transportation modes. The similar situation exists in the United States, the European Union and other countries [3][4][5]. For example, Trucks carried 60.8 percent of the weight of all goods shipped in the United States in 2018 [6].…”