Increase in transport performance

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Norwegian lorries carried out a transport performance of 18.7 billion tonne kilometres domestically in 2017. The increase was 1.2 per cent since 2016.

The  transport performance by Norwegian registered lorries amounted to 2.7 billion tonne kilometres on trips in Norway and abroad. The increase was 9 per cent compared to 2016. The total transport performance amounted to 21.4 billion tonnes in 2017.

Increased distance covered per tonne

Norwegian lorries transported 250.7 million tonnes of goods domestically in 2017; 5.0 per cent less than in 2016. Average transport length per tonne increased from 77.9 kilometres per tonne in 2016 to 83.7 kilometres per tonne in 2017. This explains why the tonnage mileage increased last year, while the amount of transport went down.

Norwegian lorries transported 5.0 million tonnes of goods abroad last year. The increase was 2.0 per cent compared to 2016. In total, Norwegian-registered lorries transported 255.7 million tonnes of goods in 2017 when driving to and from Norway and Norway; 4.9 per cent less than in 2016.

Figur 1

Figure 1. National and international transport by Norwegian lorries

Less own transport

The ratio between transport for own account and transport for hire or reward varied over time. In 2008, 40.8 per cent of the goods were transported by transport for own account, while the proportion was 31.5 in 2017. The transport performance was not as much variety. The share of own transport measured in tonne kilometres was 18.5 per cent in 2017 compared with 22.5 per cent in 2008.

Increase empty driving

The share of kilometres driven unloaded were driving in Norway was 28.8 per cent in 2017 compared with 28.1 the year before. In total, 534.5 million kilometers without a load were driven domestically last year. The international driving there was a slight decrease in empty driving. In assessing the rate of empty kilometres, it is important to take into account that for a large share of goods domestically is non-natural to return load, for example, the transport of gravel, sand, waste and building materials, etc.

Figure 2. National transports. Vehicle kilometres by Norwegian lorries

Unloaded vehicle-kilometres Vehicle kilometres with load
2008 470.2 1310.2
2009 455.2 1213.0
2010 452.0 1304.0
2011 448.0 1297.5
2012 494.1 1379.7
2013 493.3 1465.3
2014 535.7 1469.3
2015 491.3 1501.5
2016 518.3 1325.3
2017 534.5 1319.7

Mass transport dominates

Norwegian lorries transported 152.4 million tonnes mass transport on Norwegian roads in 2017 and decreased by 6.6 per cent from 2016. Mass transport amounted to 60.8 per cent of total transport volume in 2017. Since mass transport is usually performed over short distances, transport was only 26.3 per cent of total domestic transport performance, corresponding to 4.9 billion tonnes.

Figure 3. National transport tonnage carried by commodity. 2017

Tonnage carried (mill.tonnes)
Agricultural products, forestry products, fishing products 8.2% 20.5
Food products, beverages, tobaco and animal fodder 7.2% 18.0
Coal, oil and chemicals and chemical products (incl. fertilizer) 9.9% 24.9
Metal ores, stone, sand, gravel, clay, salt, cement, lime, manufactured construction materials 60.8% 152.4
Other manufactured goods, grouped goods and other goods 13.9% 34.9

Figure 4. National transport performance by commodity. 2017

Transport performance (million tonne kilometres)
Agricultural products, forestry products, fishing products 13.6% 2554.5
Food products, beverages, tobaco and animal fodder 20.2% 3779.5
Coal, oil and chemicals and chemical products (incl. fertilizer) 11.9% 2226.9
Metal ores, stone, sand, gravel, clay, salt, cement, lime, manufactured construction materials 26.3% 4932.4
Other manufactured goods, grouped goods and other goods 28.0% 5237.6

Other Nordic countries

While transport by lorries, measured in tonnage carried, decreased slightly in Norway and Denmark from 2016 to 2017, but it went up in Sweden. In Sweden there has been an increase in in tonnage carried in recent years. From 2016 to 2017, growth was 5.0 per cent.

Increase in transport performance in 4th quarter

Norwegian lorries performed of 5.7 billion tonne kilometres in national and international transport in 4th quarter of 2017. This is 5.9 per cent more than in the same quarter in 2016. The tonnage carried decreased by 5.5 per cent.

New statistical methods can affect comparability

A new sample method was introduced in the 3rd quarter of 2015, and in the 1st quarter of 2016 a new questionnaire was launched and new estimation routines were adopted. The principles for managing of collection or distribution round type were also amended in accordance with international recommendations in 2016, and this change is also made for 2015. All of these changes will to some extent contribute to affecting the comparability of the quarters for individual variables, such as. Tonnes and tonne kilometres, distribution of goods and distribution between hire and transport for own account. The change in round trip treatment will affect the comparability between 2015 and earlier. Consequently, time series must be interpreted with some caution, but the changes are nevertheless greater that you can follow the main features of the development of transport performance for lorries over time. See more information about the changes in About Statistics.

 

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