Goods transport by road: documentation of statistics
Basic data of the statistics
Data description
Statistics on goods transport by road describe the transport activity of lorries registered in Finland for both private and licensed transport in Finland and abroad. International transport refers to transportation from Finland abroad (exports), from abroad to Finland (imports), from abroad to another foreign country (crosstrade) and within a foreign country (cabotage).
The statistical unit is a lorry. It is a question of a sample survey conducted quarterly as an electronic inquiry. Each year, the inquiry is addressed to altogether 10,000 lorry owners asking them to provide data on their lorries and their use over three or four consecutive survey days. The results of the statistics derive from the data obtained with this inquiry about lorry trips, which are then inflated with statistical calculation methods to correspond with the whole sampling frame and quarter.
The data of the statistics comply with Regulation (EU) No 70/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council on statistical returns in respect of the carriage of goods by road and are comparable with the statistics of other EU countries.
Statistical population
The statistics are based on a sample survey. The sample is drawn from the transport register of the Finnish Transport and Communications Agency Traficom. The sample is divided into eight strata according to the use of lorry (private/licensed), type of lorry and total weight category.
Statistical unit
Unit of measure
Reference period
Reference area
Sector coverage
Time coverage
Frequency of dissemination
Concepts
Articulated vehicleExternal link
Cabotage transportExternal link
Cross-trade transportExternal link
Dangerous goodsExternal link
Floor area within vehicle bodyExternal link
Foreign road vehicleExternal link
Goods road motor vehicleExternal link
Goods road vehicleExternal link
Included are:
a) Light goods road vehicles with a gross vehicle weight of not more than 3 500 kg, designed exclusively or primarily, to carry goods, e.g. vans and pick-ups
b) Heavy goods road vehicles with a gross vehicle weight above 3 500 kg, designed, exclusively or primarily, to carry goods
c) Road tractors
d) Agricultural tractors permitted to use roads open to public traffic.
Gross vehicle weightExternal link
This includes the weight of the driver and the maximum number of persons permitted to be carried.
Heavy goods road vehicleExternal link
International road transportExternal link
Licensed transportExternal link
Light goods road vehicleExternal link
Included are vans designed for and used primarily for transport of goods, pick-ups and small lorries with a gross vehicle weight of not more than 3 500 kg.
Load capacityExternal link
Load volumeExternal link
Loading ratioExternal link
Lorry / truckExternal link
National road transportExternal link
Place of loadingExternal link
Place of unloadingExternal link
Road goods transport enterpriseExternal link
Road tractorExternal link
Agricultural tractors are excluded.
Road trainExternal link
Articulated vehicle with a further trailer attached is included.
Semi-trailerExternal link
Swap bodyExternal link
Tonne-kilometreExternal link
Tonne-kilometre by roadExternal link
The distance to be taken into consideration is the distance actually run.
Transit transportExternal link
Transit transport by roadExternal link
Transport for hire or rewardExternal link
Transport on own accountExternal link
Such transport is the movement by an enterprise of its own staff or freight without any associated financial transaction. Although individual persons may undertake such transport, it is not included here.
Type of cargoExternal link
Vehicle-kilometreExternal link
Accuracy, reliability and timeliness
Overall accuracy
Timeliness
Punctuality
Comparability
Comparability - geographical
Comparability - over time
Coherence - cross domain
Source data and data collections
Source data
Data collection
Frequency of data collection
Methods
Data compilation
Data validation
The data obtained as responses are checked at Statistics Finland before they are entered into the database.
Principles and outlines
Contact organisation
Contact organisation unit
Legal acts and other agreements
The compilation of statistics is guided by the Statistics Act. The Statistics Act contains provisions on collection of data, processing of data and the obligation to provide data. Besides the Statistics Act, the Data Protection Act and the Act on the Openness of Government Activities are applied to processing of data when producing statistics.
Statistics Finland compiles statistics in line with the EU’s regulations applicable to statistics, which steer the statistical agencies of all EU Member States.
Further information: Statistical legislationExternal link
Confidentiality - policy
The data protection of data collected for statistical purposes is guaranteed in accordance with the requirements of the Statistics Act (280/2004), the Act on the Openness of Government Activities (621/1999), the EU's General Data Protection Regulation (EU) 2016/679 and the Data Protection Act (1050/2018). The data materials are protected at all stages of processing with the necessary physical and technical solutions. Statistics Finland has compiled detailed directions and instructions for confidential processing of the data. Employees have access only to the data essential for their duties. The premises where unit-level data are processed are not accessible to outsiders. Members of the personnel have signed a pledge of secrecy upon entering the service. Violation of data protection is punishable.
Further information: Data protection | Statistics Finland (stat.fi)External link
Confidentiality - data treatment
Both tabulated data and microdata are supplied to Eurostat from the data. The tabulated data are at such a crude level that the cells have enough observations and no dominance appears, so there is no need for protection. Microdata are delivered so that all data enabling direct identification of an individual enterprise are removed from them.
Release policy
Statistics Finland publishes new statistical data at 8 am on weekdays in its web service. The release times of statistics are given in advance in the release calendar available in the web service. The data are public after they have been updated in the web service.
Further information: Publication principles for statistics at Statistics FinlandExternal link
Data sharing
Accessibility and clarity
Statistical data are published as database tables in the StatFin database. The database is the primary publishing site of data, and new data are updated first there. When releasing statistical data, existing database tables can be updated with new data or completely new database tables can be published.
In addition to statistical data published in the StatFin database, a release on the key data is usually published in the web service. If the release contains data concerning several reference periods (e.g. monthly and annual data), a review bringing together these data is published in the web service. Database tables updated at the time of publication are listed both in the release and in the review. In some cases, statistical data can also be published as mere database releases in the StatFin database. No release or review is published in connection with these database releases.
Releases and database tables are published in three languages, in Finnish, Swedish and English. The language versions of releases may have more limited content than in Finnish.
Information about changes in the publication schedules of releases and database tables and about corrections are given as change releases in the web service.
Data revision - policy
Revisions – i.e. improvements in the accuracy of statistical data already published – are a normal feature of statistical production and result in improved quality of statistics. The principle is that statistical data are based on the best available data and information concerning the statistical phenomenon. On the other hand, the revisions are communicated as transparently as possible in advance. Advance communication ensures that the users can prepare for the data revisions.
The reason why data in statistical releases become revised is often caused by the data becoming supplemented. Then the new, revised statistical figure is based on a wider information basis and describes the phenomenon more accurately than before.
Revisions of statistical data may also be caused by the calculation method used, such as annual benchmarking or updating of weight structures. Changes of base years and used classifications may also cause revisions to data.
Quality assurance
Quality management requires comprehensive guidance of activities. The quality management framework of the field of statistics is the European Statistics Code of Practice (CoP). The quality criteria of Official Statistics of Finland are compatible with the European Statistics Code of Practice.
Further information: Quality management | Statistics Finland (stat.fi)External link
User access
Data are released to all users at the same time. Statistical data may only be handled at Statistics Finland and information on them may be given before release only by persons involved in the production of the statistics concerned or who need the data of the statistics concerned in their own work before the data are published.
Further information: Publication principles for statisticsExternal link
Unless otherwise separately stated in connection with the product, data or service concerned, Statistics Finland is the producer of the data and the owner of the copyright. The terms of useExternal link for statistical data.