According to the Federal Office for Logistics and Mobility (BALM) and the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis), the distance covered by toll-mandated heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) with at least four axles on federal motorways dropped by 1.7% in June 2026 compared to May 2026, after adjustments for calendar and seasonal variations. Furthermore, the calendar-adjusted HGV toll mileage index recorded a figure that was 0.5% higher than the level registered in June 2025 of the previous year.
Since economic activity generates and requires transportation services, there is a clear relationship between the HGV toll mileage index and various economic activity indicators, particularly industrial production. Because this toll mileage index is available approximately one month earlier than the production index, it serves as a leading indicator for overall economic development. However, both offices noted that a breakdown of the figures by specific economic sectors is not available.
