Table 12 Performance and score of the truck toll

Target achievement

 (1)

Rail share decreased from 21% (2005) to 19% (2019)

[72]

Total transport performance increased by 17.4% from 2005 to 2019, road transportation gained 19.3%, rail gained 28,2%

[72]

 (2)

The toll charge is calculated with regards to the emission standard, noise standard, gross vehicle weight of trucks—supports new technologies on the road

[8, 68]

Zero- and low-emissions trucks receive at least a 50% discount or are free of charge to support implementation in EU countries. In Germany, these trucks are toll-free

[68]

 (3)

Studies show ex-post measured CO₂ reductions—if applied in cities—of 33% in Milan

[12]

Existing studies illustrate that if road tolls are high, they can reduce CO₂ emissions by 2–13% and vehicle travel by 4–22%

[12, 61]

Cost-efficiency

 (4)

Toll revenue: around 7.5 Bil. €

[5]

Expenditure related to the collection of truck tolls: around 1.1 Bil. € (15% of total revenue)

[5]

Expenditure on harmonization measures: around 537 Mil. € (incl. compensation for loss of vehicle tax revenue—7.6% of total revenue)

[5]

Expenditure covered by truck tolls for construction, maintenance and operation of federal trunk roads: around 6.6 Bil. € (79% of road infrastructure plan)

[5]

Road Infrastructure plan around 8.4 Bil. €

[17]

A couple of years of operation grant an economic return on investment

[12]

A shift of the investment costs for road infrastructure to the users

Practical feasibility

 Studies show that trucks that prefer free roads pay more overall compared to toll roads. (due to congestion, traffic lights, and others.). Using tolled roads is both more environmentally friendly and cheaper

[20]

 Road tax reductions for low-carbon trucks help to speed up transitions, reduce vehicle trips and rebound effects, and encourage haulers to switch to low-carbon modes of transportation

[6]

 Industrial and social acceptance can be gained by tax discounts or returns as well as improvements in infrastructure and alternative mobility

[12]

 Complex and cost-intensive implementation (tracker necessary for all trucks; tracking devices along the roads)