Economic recovery: More trucks on the road in Germany than before the crisis

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Truck traffic on the A3 near Düsseldorf

Photo: FRANK AUGSTEIN / AP

Clogged motorways and highways that are close to traffic blackouts are still a long way off.

The Corona emergency brake is still restricting private travel too much in large parts of the country.

The trucks have never disappeared from the streets.

There are now even more trucks on the highways than before the crisis.

According to the Federal Statistical Office, the mileage of toll trucks with at least four axles fell by 1.6 percent compared to the previous month.

However, this is probably less a signal for a subdued economy, but rather a statistical backlash to the sharp rise in March, it said.

Compared to April 2020 there was an increase of a good 19 percent.

Overall, the mileage was 3.2 percent above the average of the twelve months before the corona crisis.

"Economic activity generates and requires transport services," according to the statistical office.

The index is »closely related to industrial production in Germany and provides early information on current economic developments«.

In fact, the German economy increased its production in March for the first time this year.

Industry, construction and energy suppliers together produced 2.5 percent more than in the previous month, as the Federal Ministry of Economics announced on Friday.

However, compared to February 2020, the month before the start of the corona restrictions, production was 4.3 percent lower.

sbo / rtr