Statistics Estonia

Economic and Environmental Statistics Department

Address: Tatari 51, 10134, Tallinn

Road freight data collection consists of three datasets with quarterly periodicity:
1. Vehicle related variables dataset for a sample of road good motor vehicles contain, among others, indication about the type and age of the vehicle, the economic activity of the owner of the vehicle, the total kilometres loaded or empty.
2. Journey related variables dataset which contain, among other indications about weight of goods, regions of loading and unloading, distance driven, and tonne-kilometres performed during a journey
3. Goods related variables dataset which contain among others the type of goods transported and their weight and distance travelled, regions of loading and unloading.

Additional table of quality indicators

Statistics on carriage of goods by road apply the following statistical classifications:

• Standard goods classification for transport statistics (NST 2007) is used for type of goods transported by road. It was collected, until reference year 2007 (included), according to the 24 groups of goods following the "Standard Goods Classification for Transport Statistics/Revised (NST/R )".
• The regional coding is done in conformity with European legislation: "NUTS Nomenclature of territorial units for statistics" . NUTS 2021 is used.
• Economic activity class of the vehicle owner is an optional variable. Data were collected according to NACE Rev. 1 until the end of 2007. From the beginning of 2008 onwards, the economic activity has been classified according to NACE Rev. 2 (see RAMON "Statistical Classification of Economic Activities in the European Community, Rev. 2 (NACE Rev. 2)").
• Type of dangerous goods is a mandatory variable, but it is reported only for those goods that fall into this category. The classification is based on "European Agreement concerning the International Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Road", Chapter 2.1, as published in Annex E of Council Regulation (EC) No 1172/98. Directive 2008/68/EC makes reference to ADR as regards the transport of dangerous goods by road.

The optional variable type of cargo follows the Classification of Cargo Types of UNECE (United Nations, Economic Commission for Europe - codes for types of cargo, packages and packaging materials, Recommendation 21 adopted by the Working Party on Facilitation of International Trade Procedures, Geneva, March 1986).

Enterprises and entrepreneurs who own road freight vehicles.

The main concepts used in Road freight statistics are the following, more details can be found in the Road freight transport methodology manual : 

A goods road motor vehicle is any single road transport vehicle (lorry), or combination of road vehicles, namely road train (lorry with trailer) or articulated vehicle (road tractor with semi-trailer), designed to carry goods
Cross-trade is international road transport between two different countries performed by a road motor vehicle registered in a third country.
National transport is Road transport between two places (a place of loading and a place of unloading) located in the same country by a vehicle registered in that country. 
International transport is Road transport between two places (a place of loading and a place of unloading) in two different countries and cabotage by road. It may involve transit through one or more additional country or countries.
Cross trade is International road transport between two different countries performed by a road motor vehicle registered in a third country.
Transit is any loaded or empty road motor vehicle, which enters and leaves a country at different points by whatever means of transport, provided the total journey within the country is by road and that there is no loading or unloading in the country.
Goods carried by road are any goods moved by goods vehicle
Place of loading/unloading of a goods road vehicle on another mode of transport

• Place of loading (of the goods road transport vehicle on another mode of transport): The place of loading is the first place where the goods road motor vehicle was loaded on to another mode of transport (usually a ship or a rail wagon).
• Place of unloading (of the goods road transport vehicle from another mode of transport): The place of unloading is the last place where the goods road motor vehicle was unloaded from another mode of transport (usually a ship or a rail wagon).

Road freight vehicle

Road freight vehicles registered in the Traffic Register of the Transport Administration which have a loading capacity of over 3,500 kg (categories N2 and N3) and which are not older than 25 years. Sample surveys are carried out to collect information. 

The data provided are goods vehicles registered in Estonia. Journey data is aggregated by NUTS3 areas.

Annual and quarterly road freight transport data is available from 2003.

Not applicable.

Data are collected in tonnes, tonne-kilometres, vehicle-kilometres and in number of journeys (journey data) or in number of basic transport operations (BTO (goods related data)).

The road data are collected on a quarterly basis and are reported to Eurostat five months after the end of the reference period.

National level:

•  Official Statistics Act

European level: 

• REGULATION (EU) N° 70/2012

National level :

Not applicable.

From Eurostat :

Eurostat submits annually semi-aggregated data (data exchange tables, see Commission Regulation (EU) No 202/2010 amending the Commission Regulation (EC) 6/2003) back to the reporting countries so that they can compile the total road freight transport on their national territories, including the operations by national hauliers and also those of all other reporting countries.

These data exchange tables include more detailed breakdowns than the publicly available tables. They also include, for each value, the information on the number of observations that the estimates are based on. In this way, the reporting countries can estimate the reliability of results that they aggregate from the data exchange tables.

National level:

•  The dissemination of data collected for the purpose of producing official statistics is guided by the requirements provided for in § 32, § 34, § 35, § 38 of the Official Statistics Act.
•  Each disseminated cell shall be based on at least 10 vehicle records depending on the variable tabulated. Where  a  cell  is  based  on  fewer  than  10  vehicle  records,  it  shall  be  aggregated  with  other  cells,  or  replaced  with  a  suitable  flag.

European level:

• Regulation (EC) No 223/2009 on European statistics (recital 24 and Article 20(4)) of 11 March 2009 (OJ L 87, p. 164), stipulates the need to establish common principles and guidelines ensuring the confidentiality of data used for the production of European statistics and the access to those confidential data with due account for technical developments and the requirements of users in a democratic society.
• REGULATION (EC) No 6/2003of  30  December  2002 concerning  the  dissemination  of  statistics  on  the  carriage  of  goods  by  road (Text  with  EEA  relevance)

The treatment of confidential data is regulated by the Procedure for Protection of Data Collected and Processed by Statistics Estonia: https://www.riigiteataja.ee/en/eli/ee/506012015002/consolide/current

Notifications about the dissemination of statistics are published in the release calendar, which is available on the website of Statistics Estonia. Every year on 1 October, the release times of the statistical database, news releases, main indicators by IMF SDDS and publications for the following year are announced in the release calendar (in the case of publications – the release month).

https://www.stat.ee/en/calendar

All users have been granted equal access to official statistics: dissemination dates of official statistics are announced in advance and no user category (incl. Eurostat, state authorities and mass media) is provided access to official statistics before other users. Official statistics are first published in the statistical database. If there is also a news release, it is published simultaneously with data in the statistical database. Official statistics are available on the website at 8:00 a.m. on the date announced in the release calendar.

Annual

Quarterly

No news releases disseminated.

Blog posts/news are published on a non-regular basis.

Data are published under the subject area “Economy / Transport” in the statistical database at https://andmed.stat.ee/en/stat.

The dissemination of data collected for the purpose of producing official statistics is guided by the requirements provided for in § 33, § 34, § 35, § 36, § 38 of the Official Statistics Act. Access to microdata and anonymisation of microdata are regulated by Statistics Estonia’s procedure for dissemination of confidential data for scientific purposes: https://www.stat.ee/en/find-statistics/request-statistics/use-confidential-data-scientific-purposes.

Data serve as input for statistical activity “Transport of passengers and goods by transport enterprises”.

Glossary for Transport Statistics (prepared by the Intersecretariat Working Group on Transport Statistics – Eurostat, ITF and the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe) https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/en/web/products-manuals-and-guidelines/-/ks-gq-19-004

Road freight transport methodology - 2016 edition http://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/en/web/products-manuals-and-guidelines/-/KS-GQ-16-005

Methodologies used in road freight transport surveys in Member States, EFTA and candidate countries — 2021 edition.pdf

National ESMS metadata Transport of goods by road

Supplementary table ROAD_ST (transmitted to Eurostat quarterly via EDAMIS)

Statistical Database, table TS540: Population, sample and responses of Road Freight Transport Survey.

In order to guarantee the high quality of our processes and products, we implement the European Statistics Code of Practice and the related Quality Assurance Framework of the European Statistical System. We perform statistical actions based on the international Generic Statistical Business Process Model. Statistics Estonia is also guided by the requirements in § 7. “Principles and quality criteria of producing official statistics” of the Official Statistics Act. We guarantee the confidentiality of the data we have been entrusted with. We produce statistics in an independent, objective and transparent manner, and treat all users equitably in the dissemination of statistics.

In the production of statistics, we follow European and other international standards, guidelines, and good practices. The production of statistics is characterised by a sound methodology, relevant statistical procedures, the avoidance of creating an excessive reporting burden for respondents, and by cost-effectiveness.

Statistics Estonia performs all statistical activities according to an international model (Generic Statistical Business Process Model – GSBPM). According to the GSBPM, the final phase of statistical activities is overall evaluation using information gathered in each phase or sub-process; this information can take many forms, including feedback from users, process metadata, system metrics and suggestions from employees. This information is used to prepare the evaluation report which outlines all the quality problems related to the specific statistical activity and serves as input for improvement actions.

Number of questionnaires used in analysis (that is, type A1 vehicle data records sent to Eurostat recording vehicle activity) is low. Number of cases where no vehicle activity was recorded during the sampled period but the vehicle could be considered as part of the active stock (vehicles not used in the sampled period due to illness, holidays, no driver, no work, temporary repair, etc.) is high. We hope to make the questionnaire easier to fill and revise sampling methodology.

Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications

User surveys are available on the website of Statistics Estonia at: https://www.stat.ee/en/statistics-estonia/about-us/user-surveys

Since 1996, Statistics Estonia has conducted reputation and user satisfaction surveys.

All results are available on the website at https://www.stat.ee/en/statistics-estonia/about-us/user-surveys

In compliance with the rules (regulations)

The type of survey and the data collection methods ensure sufficient coverage and timeliness, but there is reluctance to correctly fill the questionnaire. Probable underreporting in all datasets. 

The error due to probability sampling is estimated and the sampling errors are published in the Statistical Database.

The response rates are published in the Statistical Database.

Data are normally updated once per quarter. If new annual data (all four quarters of a calendar year) have become available, the annual datasets are also updated together with the quarterly datasets.

Road freight data are transmitted to Eurostat within 5 months after the end of the reference period, as specified in the Regulation (EU) 70//2012.

The data are comparable to data of other European Union countries because common methodology has been used for transport statistics.

The data are comparable over time since the year 2008.

The data on freight transport volume differ from the same data in other activities of transport statistics because the data have been collected with a sample survey and are therefore estimates. Underreporting is an issue.

The data are made internally coherent by using common methodology in data collection and the same rules of data aggregation.

The response burden is put on data respondents, but is reduced to a minimum – it is possible to provide the data automatically using electronic data transmission tool (eStat) and are only contacted if errors cannot be solved by the NSI. Also classifications are used in data collection. If the amount of data is large, it is possible to upload data as a file for data transfer via eStat to Statistics Estonia.

Cost of statistical activity 205 thousand euros (data for 2021)

Total time of filling in reports of the statistical activity, working days: 364.8

Average time of filling in the reports, hours per report: 0.6

The data revision policy and notification of corrections are described in the dissemination policy of Statistics Estonia at https://www.stat.ee/en/statistics-estonia/about-us/strategy/principles-dissemination-official-statistics.

The published data may be revised if the methodology is modified, errors are discovered, new or better data become available or when the annual statistics are produced.

Sampling register used for the survey

Name of register: Estonian Traffic Register

Name of organisation who maintains the register: Transport Administration of Estonia

Frequency of update: Continuously

Frequency of access to draw the samples: Once a quarter

Arrangements for accessing the register: The order of Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications by which the Vehicle Register is obliged to give the data to the Statistics Estonia. The agreement between Statistics Estonia and Estonian Transport Administration about data exchange between those two organisations.

Information obtained from the register: Data from the traffic register of the Estonian Transport Administration (vehicle details and authorised user) and data from the Register of Economic Activities (the certified copies of licenses (carriage of goods)) are used.

From the Estonian Traffic Register the following data are obtained:

• Type of vehicle, registration number of vehicle, mark and model, maximum permissible laden weight, load capacity, age of vehicle (year and date of first registration), vehicle category, body type of lorry, type of fuel, number of axles of lorry or tractor, register weight, ), maximum gross weight of trailer, maximum load capacity of trailer, name and address with postal code of the vehicle user (or owner, when user information is not available), register code of enterprise or natural person (ID code); special characteristic for foreign owner.
• Main activities (NACE Rev.2) of enterprise/organisation using the vehicle is obtained from the register of economically active enterprises called the Statistical Profile. The Statistical Profile is created on the basis of the Commercial Register.

The data on licenses from the Register of Economic Activities are received by downloading from the database at https://mtr.mkm.ee/, data from the Estonian Transport Administration are received via an FTP-server and data from the Population Register via X-Road.

Data used for stratification of sample: main activities (NACE Rev.2) of enterprise/organisation using the vehicle (4941/other activities); type of vehicle and body type, maximum load capacity of lorry, year of manufacture.

Procedure for reminders:

Statistics Estonia has a standard routine for reminders in electronic data collection system eSTAT:

• Deadline is 8 days after the survey week. Most of the data respondents (99.7 %) have an e-mail address.
• First reminder: 3 days after the deadline by e-mail (or by phone is no e-mail address is available)
• Second reminder: 8 days after the deadline by e-mail (or by phone is no e-mail address is available)
• Third reminder: 37 days after the deadline by e-mail. (or by phone is no e-mail address is available)
• After the third reminder, the vehicle users will be contacted by (mobile) phone.

The response rate is satisfactory, but the number of working vehicles is low. Response rate is about 80 %, but the share of working vehicles is only 20 %.

Weekly

Sampling methodology

Statistical unit: Tractive vehicle

Types of units excluded: Lorries less than 3.5 tonnes load capacity, military vehicles, vehicles of public administrations and public services, agricultural tractors, vehicles with age of vehicle over 25 year, special purpose vehicles such as truck cranes, fire-engine vehicles, road maintenance vehicles and other special purpose vehicles are also excluded, if it is possible to identify them from sampling frame by Estonian Road Administration.

Time unit: 1 week

Time units of quarter 1 of 2022 included in the survey: All (13 weeks)

Stratification:

Recording of weight of goods:

Gross-gross weight of goods is collected, i.e. containers swap bodies and pallets are included.

Recording of journey data sent to Eurostat:

Single stop, multi stop and collection/delivery: If more than one goods commodity is carried, it is coded as NST2007 group 18 - Grouped goods: a mixture of types of goods which are transported together; 19 - Unidentifiable goods: goods which cannot be assigned to groups 01 - 16 or 20 - Other goods. If mixed goods are selected, then goods loading type is set according to good with highest weight.

Other variables:

We assume that within one journey only one commodity is carried.

Estimation of maximum permissible laden weight:

Maximum permissible laden weight in dataset A2 is not estimated, collected information is used.

Calculation of weighting factors:

Weighting factor = 13 * (N / S + S’)

N = number of vehicles in the register (in a stratum)

S = number of questionnaires used in analysis (in A1 dataset)

S’ = number of vehicles for which no activity was recorded, but vehicles could be considered as active (holiday, no work, etc.).

No post-stratification used.

Additional (optional) variables collected compared to the legal requirements:

A1. Vehicle-related variables:

• possibility of using vehicles for combined transport (NO)
• vehicle operator’s NACE Rev. 2 at class level (four-digit level) (YES)
• vehicle empty kilometres (YES)

A2. Journey-related variables:

• axle configuration according to the nomenclature defined in the Regulation on road transport statistics (YES)
• place of loading, if any, of the road transport vehicle on another means of transport (NO)
• place of unloading, if any, of the road transport vehicle from another means of transport (NO)
• degree of loading : situation ‘fully loaded’ (procedure 2) or ‘not fully loaded’ (procedure 1) of the goods road transport vehicle during the journey in question, in terms of maximum volume of space used during the journey (procedure 0 = by convention for unladen journeys) (YES)

A3. Goods-related variables:

• type of freight (Cargo types) as defined in the Regulation (YES)

Data are collected using the weekly questionnaire “Freight transport by road”.

Data are collected and the submission of questionnaires is monitored through eSTAT (the web channel for electronic data submission). The questionnaires have been designed for independent completion in eSTAT and include instructions and controls. The questionnaires and information about data submission are available on Statistics Estonia’s website at https://www.stat.ee/en/submit-data/about-data-submission

Environmental impact related variables:

Type of fuel used. No information about fuel consumption.

National level:

Data are collected and the submission of questionnaires is monitored through eSTAT (the web channel for electronic data submission). The questionnaires have been designed for independent completion in eSTAT and include instructions and controls. The questionnaires and information about data submission are available on the website of Statistics Estonia in the section Questionnaires.

Arithmetic and qualitative checks are made in the validation process, including comparison with the data of previous periods and other surveys for aggregated data.              

From Eurostat:

Since 1999, micro-data from the reporting countries have to be submitted according to Commission Regulation 2163/2001. The data are then checked and validated by EUROSTAT (verification of many different codes used (NUTS 3, numeric or alphabetic variables) correctness of linked questionnaires in the different dataset, etc…). Detected errors are then reported back to the data sender with the request for correction, this is an iterative process until at least 99.5% of all data records are validated and loaded in the database.

In the case of missing or unreliable data, estimate imputation based on established regulations will be used.

Variables and statistical units which were not collected but which are necessary for producing output are calculated. New variables are calculated by applying arithmetic conversion to already existing variables. This may be done repeatedly; the derived variable may, in turn, be based on previously derived new variables.

Weights are calculated for statistical units and used for expanding the sample survey data to the total population.

Microdata are aggregated to the level necessary for analysis. This includes aggregating the data according to the classification and calculating various statistical measures. Quarterly estimates are calculated based on the data collected for a week.

The collected data are converted into statistical output. This includes calculating additional indicators.

Not applied.

Since 2017, data are collected from companies through eSTAT (the web channel for electronic data submission). The new production system has also been in use since 2017.