The vehicle approach for freight road transport energy and environmental analysis in Spain

Purpose and methodology This paper summarizes the results of a permanent road freight sample survey carried out in 1997-2003 on heavy duty vehicles in Spain. In particular, this work reviews some of the key indicators that are measuring the efficiency and the operational performance of the freight road transport. The indicators of transport are coming directly and indirectly from the survey. The survey is based on a stratified random sampling, and represents an audit of the performance of 41,600 vehicles in a yearly basis. Main results Although the study shows wide variation in absolute values between 1997 and 2003, energy and environment efficiencies improve by 0.2%. Conclusions Nevertheless, assumptions and analyses of freight road transport in Spain find significant new points of view to the problems in order to assess vehicle utilization, fuel efficiency and CO2 emissions. © European Conference of Transport Research Institutes (ECTRI) 2009.