Wiesbaden – September 12, 2026 -- Toll-liable truck mileage on German federal highways rose 0.6% in August 2026 versus July, calendar- and seasonally-adjusted, and climbed 2.0% against August 2025 on a calendar-adjusted basis, according to Germany's Federal Office for Logistics and Mobility (BALM) and the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis).
Truck mileage data serves as an early industrial output signal
The index tracks mileage of tolled trucks with at least four axles on federal motorways and is derived from digital toll-collection process data. Because economic activity generates transport demand, the index correlates closely with industrial production indicators and becomes available roughly one month ahead of the official production index, functioning as a leading indicator for German manufacturing activity. Destatis notes the index cannot currently be broken down by economic sector.
Monthly data feeds into national dashboard and regional tables
Results are published in the GENESIS-Online database under tables 42191-0001 for Germany, 42191-0010 for federal states, and 42191-0002 for cross-border trips. Destatis also produces an experimental daily version of the index, updated weekly and published on its "Industry, Manufacturing" topic page. The figures additionally feed into the "Dashboard Konjunktur" portal, which aggregates high-frequency indicators covering economy, finance, labor markets, construction and energy.
BALM maintains detailed toll tables dating back to 2008
BALM's separate "Mautstatistik" evaluation provides granular toll data, including breakdowns by vehicle registration country and emissions class, through its "Mautdaten Tabellenwerk" publication. This broader dataset requires more processing time and is released without seasonal or structural adjustment, typically appearing later than the headline mileage index. The index methodology largely excludes changes in the tolled road network's scope and vehicle weight thresholds over time, allowing underlying cyclical trends to remain visible.