France road freight transport: tonnes transported
France road freight transport: tonnes transported stood at 1,558,467 thousand tonnes in 2025, according to SDES – Service des données et études statistiques (Ministère de la Transition écologique). It is one of the indicators in the Freight transport (annual) table (Value · Annual), with a complete series running from 1999 to 2025. The complete series with an interactive chart, free to download.
This indicator in the Freight transport (annual) table
| Indicator | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total road freight transport4 | 1,558,467 | 1,548,138 | 1,545,239 | 1,631,139 | 1,648,948 | 1,508,016 | 1,634,946 | 1,619,364 | 1,714,292 | 1,727,611 | |
| National transport | 1,514,698 | 1,504,879 | 1,504,940 | 1,587,187 | 1,606,591 | 1,469,209 | 1,595,760 | 1,576,070 | 1,670,821 | 1,686,029 | |
| International transport | 43,769 | 43,259 | 40,299 | 43,952 | 42,357 | 38,807 | 39,186 | 43,295 | 43,471 | 41,582 |
Understanding france road freight transport: tonnes transported
Gross physical mass moved by commercial goods vehicles is enumerated here in thousand tonnes, capturing every shipment loaded onto heavy trucks within the domestic boundary. This aggregate covers both short hauls and long-distance movements, summing national flows and international journeys before they cross borders or after they arrive from abroad. Unlike performance metrics adjusted for distance, this raw weight tally counts the physical burden placed upon the highway network without accounting for the kilometers traveled.
Annual compilation relies heavily on vehicle surveys, roadside observations, and mandatory reporting by transport operators. Analysts must remember that a single heavy shipment counted at origin will reappear in modal splits but drops entirely if transferred to rail or waterways mid-route. Comparing these figures directly against pipeline or rail volumes requires caution, as road haulage handles lighter, higher-value commodities compared to bulk carriers, making tonnage shares misleading when evaluating economic value.
Frequently asked questions
- What types of commercial vehicles are included in this total road tonnage?
- Heavy goods vehicles exceeding specific weight thresholds used for commercial transport are included, while light utility vans are generally excluded.
- Does this series include empty return journeys of cargo trucks?
- No, empty running is excluded because this measure strictly counts the physical mass of loaded goods.
- How does this aggregate differ from tonne-kilometre measures?
- This series measures the sheer weight of goods moved, whereas tonne-kilometres factor in the precise distance each shipment travels.