Reference metadata describe statistical concepts and methodologies used for the collection and generation of data. They provide information on data quality and, since they are strongly content-oriented, assist users in interpreting the data. Reference metadata, unlike structural metadata, can be decoupled from the data.
Road freight data collection consists of three datasets with quarterly periodicity:
A1. Vehicle-related variables dataset for a sample of road good motor vehicles which contains, among others, indication about the type and age of the vehicle, economic activity of the owner of the vehicle, and total kilometres loaded or empty.
A2. Journey-related variables dataset which contains, among others, indication about the weight of goods, regions of loading and unloading, distance driven, and tonne-kilometres performed during a journey.
A3. Goods-related variables dataset which contains, among others, indication about the type and weight of goods transported, distance travelled, and regions of loading and unloading.
There is also an additional table of quality indicators (Table B).
The body responsible for the collection and compilation of these data is Statistics Estonia (SE). The data are collected via an online questionnaire from enterprises that own large cargo vehicles. Local governments, rescue organisations, defence organisations and cargo vehicle sales enterprises are omitted from the population. Submitting these data to SE is mandatory for enterprises, but this is not enforced by collecting non-compliance levies. The data are collected on a weekly basis but corrected and analysed on a quarterly basis. There is voluntary collection when it comes to the (very few) large cargo vehicles owned by private persons.
3.2. Classification system
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. Until the reference year 2007 (included), data were collected according to the 24 groups of goods following the "Standard Goods Classification for Transport Statistics/Revised (NST/R)".
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 the 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).
3.3. Coverage - sector
Enterprises and entrepreneurs owning road freight vehicles
3.4. Statistical concepts and definitions
When it comes to 2–4-stop journeys, we mostly report the journeys in stages between loading points, not according to which cargo was taken from where to where.
A goods road motor vehicle is any single road transport vehicle (lorry), or combination of road vehicles, i.e. 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 a goods vehicle. Place of loading/unloading of a goods road vehicle onto another mode of transport.
Place of loading (of the goods road transport vehicle onto another mode of transport): the first place where the goods road motor vehicle was loaded onto 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 last place where the goods road motor vehicle was unloaded from another mode of transport (usually a ship or a rail wagon).
3.5. Statistical unit
Road freight vehicle
3.6. Statistical population
Road freight vehicles registered in the Traffic Register of the Estonian 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 few large cargo vehicles owned by private persons are also included.
3.7. Reference area
The data provided pertains to goods vehicles registered in Estonia that are expected to carry goods (apart from the military and such). The locations of loading stops on the journey are specified only to the level of NUTS3 areas when transmitting data to Eurostat, but when the data are collected, the village, town, or city is specified.
3.8. Coverage - Time
Annual and quarterly road freight transport data are available from 2003.
3.9. Base period
Not applicable
The data are transmitted 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 vehicle measurements collected are number of axles and carrying capacity, gross weight, unladen weight in kilograms.
The vehicle usage data are collected in full days.
The road data are collected on a quarterly basis and are reported to Eurostat five months after the end of the reference period.
6.1. Institutional Mandate - legal acts and other agreements
Eurostat submits semi-aggregated data (data exchange tables, see Commission Regulation (EU) No 202/2010 amending the Commission Regulation (EC) No 6/2003) back to the reporting countries annually 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.
7.1. Confidentiality - policy
Restricted from publication
7.2. Confidentiality - data treatment
Restricted from publication
8.1. Release calendar
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).
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 or shortly after the 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: Main indicators only. These include the total weight of goods carried, in thousands of tonnes, and the total freight turnover, in thousands of tonne-km. This is disaggregated into national and international freight. Along with these indicators, metaindicators about the survey and the apparent share of active vehicles in the large cargo vehicle population are published.
10.1. Dissemination format - News release
No news releases are disseminated.
10.2. Dissemination format - Publications
Short blog posts / news items are published on a non-regular basis.
10.3. Dissemination format - online database
Data are published in the statistical database at Road transport where it is possible to select tables.
10.4. Dissemination format - microdata access
The dissemination of data collected for the purpose of producing official statistics is guided by the requirements provided for in §§ 33, 34, 35, 36, and 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: Use of confidential data for scientific purpose.
In practice, no microdata have been disseminated in recent years. Care is taken with this, as it is vital to ensure confidentiality in such a detailed dataset.
Glossary for Transport Statistics (prepared by the Intersecretariat Working Group on Transport Statistics – Eurostat, ITF, and the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe): Glossary for Transport Statistics
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.
We review the statistical process once a year, gathering problems and complaints throughout the year.
11.2. Quality management - assessment
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.
The number of questionnaires used in analysis (that is, type A1 vehicle data records sent to Eurostat recording vehicle activity) is low. The 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 in and to revise the sampling methodology, when possible.
12.1. Relevance - User Needs
The Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications and the Ministry of Climate
Since 1996, Statistics Estonia has conducted reputation and user satisfaction surveys.
All results are available on the website at User surveys. The most recent user study took place in 2021.
12.3. Completeness
In compliance with the rules (regulations)
13.1. Accuracy - overall
The type of survey and the data collection methods ensure sufficient coverage and timeliness, but there is reluctance to correctly fill in the questionnaire. Probable underreporting in all datasets.
13.2. Sampling error
The error due to probability sampling is estimated and the sampling errors are published in the statistical database.
13.3. Non-sampling error
The response rates are published in the statistical database.
14.1. Timeliness
Quarterly data are published almost five months after the end of the reference period. Annual data are published by mid-June.
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.
14.2. Punctuality
Road freight data are transmitted to Eurostat within five months after the end of the reference period, as specified in the Regulation (EU) No 70//2012.
15.1. Comparability - geographical
The data are comparable with data of other European Union countries because a common methodology has been used for transport statistics.
Due to the high standard deviations of our data, our data can be less accurate when conducting mirror checks on international flows.
15.2. Comparability - over time
The data are comparable over time since the year 2008.
At the time of the adoption of the online questionnaire, 2017, the data show a sudden increase in the amount of inactive vehicles. This is probably due to the change in collection methods.
15.3. Coherence - cross domain
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.
15.4. Coherence - internal
The data are made internally coherent by using a common methodology in data collection and the same rules of data aggregation.
The response burden is put on the data providers but it is reduced as far as currently viable – it is possible to provide the data automatically using the electronic data transmission tool (eSTAT) and the respondents 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.
Total time of filling in the reports of the statistical activity, working days: 402.2
Average time of filling in the reports, hours per report: 0.63
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.
For general freight movements data, road goods transport data for the preceding quarter are first estimated mathematically based on time series data. When data processing is complete, these data are always revised. The revisions can be rather large in percentage, especially in poor or fluctuating times for the sector.
Other than that, revisions are usually made within two weeks of initial publishing and are very minor in terms of percentage.
18.1. Source data
Sampling register used for the survey
Name of register: Estonian Traffic Register
Name of organisation that maintains the register: Estonian Transport Administration
Frequency of update: continuously
Frequency of access to draw the samples: once a quarter
Arrangements for accessing the register: the order of the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications by which the Vehicle Register is obliged to provide data to Statistics Estonia. The agreement between Statistics Estonia and the 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.
The following data are obtained from the Estonian Traffic Register:
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 Operating licences, data from the Estonian Transport Administration are received via an FTP-server, and data from the Population Register are obtained via X-Tee.
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 vehicle, year of manufacture
Procedure for reminders:
Statistics Estonia has a standard routine for reminders in the electronic data collection system eSTAT:
Deadline is 8 days after the survey week. Most of the respondents (99.7%) have an email address.
First reminder: 3 days after the deadline by email (or by phone if no email address is available).
Second reminder: 8 days after the deadline by email (or by phone if no email address is available).
Third reminder: 37 days after the deadline by email (or by phone if no email address is available).
After the third reminder, the vehicle users are contacted by (mobile) phone.
The response rate is satisfactory but the number of working vehicles is low. The response rate is about 80%, whereas the share of working vehicles is only 20%.
18.2. Frequency of data collection
Weekly
18.3. Data collection
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 over 25 years old, special purpose vehicles such as truck cranes, fire trucks, road maintenance vehicles, and other special purpose vehicles are also excluded, if it is possible to identify them from the sampling frame by the Estonian Road Administration.
Time unit: 1 week
Each quarter is considered to consist of 13 weeks.
Example stratification of 1st quarter 2022 (in 2024, sample sizes for stratums 2 and 5 were doubled).
Stratum No
Description
Frame
Sample
Weighting factor
1
Road tractors of road transport enterprises NACE Rev. 2 code 4941
7,979
650
252.38
2
Lorries: Load capacity > 3.5 <10 tonnes: of road transport enterprises NACE Rev. 2 code 4941
1,351
26
878.15
3
Lorries: Load capacity > 10 tonnes: of road transport enterprises NACE Rev. 2 code 4941
2,011
182
221.55
4
Road tractors of all other enterprises NACE Rev. 2
2,079
234
152.69
5
Lorries: Load capacity > 3.5 < 10 tonnes: all other enterprises NACE Rev. 2
2,416
26
1,495.62
6
Lorries: Load capacity > 10 tonnes: all other enterprises NACE Rev. 2
2,425
390
91.38
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 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 for any reason cannot be identified and therefore cannot be assigned to groups 01–16; or 20 – Other goods n.e.c. If mixed goods are selected, then goods loading type is set according to the good with the highest weight.
Other variables:
We assume that only one commodity is carried within one journey. If the cargo is known to be of mixed types, like food and other consumer products for stores, the respondents are instructed to use the NST code 18.0.
Estimation of maximum permissible laden weight:
Maximum permissible laden weight in dataset A2 is not estimated, register information is used.
Calculation of weighting factors:
Weighting factor = 13 * (N / S + S’)
N = the number of vehicles in the register (in a stratum)
S = the number of questionnaires used in analysis (in A1 dataset)
S’ = the number of vehicles for which no activity was recorded, but vehicles could be considered as active (holiday, no work, etc.)
No post-stratification is used.
Additional (optional) variables collected compared with 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 for 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 “Use of cargo vehicle”.
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 About data submission.
Environmental impact related variables:
Type of fuel used. No information about fuel consumption.
18.4. Data validation
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 Statistics Estonia's website Use of cargo vehicle 2024. week.
Arithmetic and qualitative checks are made in the validation process, including comparison with the data of the previous periods for aggregated data.
From Eurostat:
Since 1999, microdata from the reporting countries have to be submitted according to the Commission Regulation (EC) No 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.
18.5. Data compilation
In the case of missing data in an incomplete questionnaire, if the respondent cannot be contacted, the missing data are estimated based on the existing data. Unreliable-looking data can be reconfirmed or replaced with the respondent's estimate, if available.
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. The weights will necessarily be higher if the response rate is lower.
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.
18.6. Adjustment
Not applied
Since 2017, data are collected from enterprises through eSTAT (the web channel for electronic data submission). The new production system has also been in use since 2017.
Road freight data collection consists of three datasets with quarterly periodicity:
A1. Vehicle-related variables dataset for a sample of road good motor vehicles which contains, among others, indication about the type and age of the vehicle, economic activity of the owner of the vehicle, and total kilometres loaded or empty.
A2. Journey-related variables dataset which contains, among others, indication about the weight of goods, regions of loading and unloading, distance driven, and tonne-kilometres performed during a journey.
A3. Goods-related variables dataset which contains, among others, indication about the type and weight of goods transported, distance travelled, and regions of loading and unloading.
There is also an additional table of quality indicators (Table B).
The body responsible for the collection and compilation of these data is Statistics Estonia (SE). The data are collected via an online questionnaire from enterprises that own large cargo vehicles. Local governments, rescue organisations, defence organisations and cargo vehicle sales enterprises are omitted from the population. Submitting these data to SE is mandatory for enterprises, but this is not enforced by collecting non-compliance levies. The data are collected on a weekly basis but corrected and analysed on a quarterly basis. There is voluntary collection when it comes to the (very few) large cargo vehicles owned by private persons.
30 September 2025
When it comes to 2–4-stop journeys, we mostly report the journeys in stages between loading points, not according to which cargo was taken from where to where.
A goods road motor vehicle is any single road transport vehicle (lorry), or combination of road vehicles, i.e. 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 a goods vehicle. Place of loading/unloading of a goods road vehicle onto another mode of transport.
Place of loading (of the goods road transport vehicle onto another mode of transport): the first place where the goods road motor vehicle was loaded onto 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 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 Estonian 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 few large cargo vehicles owned by private persons are also included.
The data provided pertains to goods vehicles registered in Estonia that are expected to carry goods (apart from the military and such). The locations of loading stops on the journey are specified only to the level of NUTS3 areas when transmitting data to Eurostat, but when the data are collected, the village, town, or city is specified.
The road data are collected on a quarterly basis and are reported to Eurostat five months after the end of the reference period.
The type of survey and the data collection methods ensure sufficient coverage and timeliness, but there is reluctance to correctly fill in the questionnaire. Probable underreporting in all datasets.
The data are transmitted 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 vehicle measurements collected are number of axles and carrying capacity, gross weight, unladen weight in kilograms.
The vehicle usage data are collected in full days.
In the case of missing data in an incomplete questionnaire, if the respondent cannot be contacted, the missing data are estimated based on the existing data. Unreliable-looking data can be reconfirmed or replaced with the respondent's estimate, if available.
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. The weights will necessarily be higher if the response rate is lower.
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.
Sampling register used for the survey
Name of register: Estonian Traffic Register
Name of organisation that maintains the register: Estonian Transport Administration
Frequency of update: continuously
Frequency of access to draw the samples: once a quarter
Arrangements for accessing the register: the order of the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications by which the Vehicle Register is obliged to provide data to Statistics Estonia. The agreement between Statistics Estonia and the 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.
The following data are obtained from the Estonian Traffic Register:
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 Operating licences, data from the Estonian Transport Administration are received via an FTP-server, and data from the Population Register are obtained via X-Tee.
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 vehicle, year of manufacture
Procedure for reminders:
Statistics Estonia has a standard routine for reminders in the electronic data collection system eSTAT:
Deadline is 8 days after the survey week. Most of the respondents (99.7%) have an email address.
First reminder: 3 days after the deadline by email (or by phone if no email address is available).
Second reminder: 8 days after the deadline by email (or by phone if no email address is available).
Third reminder: 37 days after the deadline by email (or by phone if no email address is available).
After the third reminder, the vehicle users are contacted by (mobile) phone.
The response rate is satisfactory but the number of working vehicles is low. The response rate is about 80%, whereas the share of working vehicles is only 20%.
Annual
Quarterly: Main indicators only. These include the total weight of goods carried, in thousands of tonnes, and the total freight turnover, in thousands of tonne-km. This is disaggregated into national and international freight. Along with these indicators, metaindicators about the survey and the apparent share of active vehicles in the large cargo vehicle population are published.
Quarterly data are published almost five months after the end of the reference period. Annual data are published by mid-June.
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.
The data are comparable with data of other European Union countries because a common methodology has been used for transport statistics.
Due to the high standard deviations of our data, our data can be less accurate when conducting mirror checks on international flows.
The data are comparable over time since the year 2008.
At the time of the adoption of the online questionnaire, 2017, the data show a sudden increase in the amount of inactive vehicles. This is probably due to the change in collection methods.
