In March this year, truck traffic on German toll roads had risen significantly – by as much as 6.4% year-on-year. However, the latest toll data from the Federal Office for Logistics and Mobility (BALM) indicates that this was only a temporary rebound. In April, the mileage of trucks with a gross vehicle weight (GVW) of over 3.5 tonnes fell once again.
In total, all trucks over 3.5 tonnes – both German and foreign – covered approximately 3.44 billion kilometres on toll roads in Germany in April, a decline of 1.2% compared to the same month in 2023.
German trucks registered a 1.2% drop, while foreign vehicles recorded a 1.1% decrease.
Polish trucks covered 0.652 billion kilometres, down 0.3% year-on-year. Lithuanian hauliers, on the other hand, improved their performance by 4.2%, driving around 0.13 billion kilometres.
It is worth noting, however, that in April 2023, vehicles with a GVW between 3.5 and 7.5 tonnes were not yet subject to tolls – charges in this weight category were only introduced on 1 July 2024. For this reason, comparisons based on vehicles over 7.5 tonnes offer a more reliable perspective.
Trucks over 7.5 tonnes – who gained and who lost?
In this category, April 2024 saw a 4.2% year-on-year decline in mileage.
Breaking down the figures by country:
- German trucks drove 5.4% less,
- Polish trucks – 2.5% less,
- Lithuanian trucks – 3.5% more.
Cumulative results (January–April)
Over the first four months of the year, total traffic by vehicles over 7.5 tonnes on German toll roads also declined slightly – by 1.5% year-on-year.
- German trucks travelled approximately 7.35 billion kilometres (down 1.8%),
- Polish trucks – 2.5 billion kilometres (down 1.6%),
- Lithuanian trucks – 0.49 billion kilometres (up 1.2%).
