The total vehicle kilometers travelled (VKT), i.e., the total kilometers covered by a defined group of vehicles during a specified period of time and on a spatially defined and classified road network, is a key figure to quantify the use of road infrastructure. VKT directly reflects the extent of spatial interaction within society and economy. For the first time since 2002, the 2014 German Vehicle Mileage Survey (Fahrleistungserhebung, FLE) provides detailed data on vehicle mileages travelled for Germany. An odometer-reading survey to elicit VKT by vehicles on register in Germany formed an integral part of the 2014 German Vehicle Mileage Survey. This odometer-reading survey replicated the 2002 predecessor survey to a large extent. Based on total vehicle mileages reported by vehicle owners at the beginning and the end of a predefined 10-week period during 2014, the kilometers travelled per day of the corresponding 10-week period was recorded for each vehicle in the sample. The vehicle sample was drawn from the central German vehicle register at the Kraftfahrt-Bundesamt (Federal Motor Transport Authority) and included all motorized vehicles ranging from mopeds to semi-trailer tractors. The initial sample of the FLE odometer-reading survey included 162,650 randomly selected vehicles. The response rate of the corresponding vehicle owners in the initial stage of the survey (first odometer reading) was 56%; in the second and final stage of the survey (second odometer reading) it was 85%. This translates to a total response rate of about 47% indicating a relatively high willingness to participate in the survey. In line with the general trend, the 2014 FLE odometer-reading response rate was lower than in previous FLE odometer-reading surveys (1990, 1993, 2002). However, the 2014 response rate was higher than previously expected. This was most likely due to the newly developed mixed-mode survey design, combining paper-and-pencil questionnaires with the additional option of an online questionnaire. The 2014 total annual VKT by vehicles registered in Germany was estimated at 707 billion vehicle kilometers. This figure relates to an annual average of 53.5 million registered motor vehicles. The vast majority of these VKT, namely almost 599 billion km or 85% of total annual VKT, are covered by passenger cars (incl. motor homes). Motor vehicles for freight transport (trucks and semi-trailer tractors) contributed 84 billion vehicle km, representing about 12% of total annual VKT by vehicles registered in Germany. Breaking the total annual VKT down to a per vehicle figure results in an average VKT of 13,200 km per vehicle per year. For passenger cars this figure is 13,600 km; for trucks it is 23,900 km. The highest mileages per vehicle can be found for semi-trailer tractors for commercial transport (110,600 km) and long distance busses (194,300 km). In contrast, powered two-wheelers exhibit the lowest annual mileages (3,000 km). The total VKT on the German road network (VKT by German vehicles and vehicles registered abroad on the German road network), as well as road traffic accident risk figures, are covered in the report: BAEUMER, M. et al. (2017): Fahrleistungserhebung 2014 – Inlandsfahrleistung und Unfallrisiko. Berichte der Bundesanstalt fuer Strassenwesen, Reihe Verkehrstechnik, Heft V 291, Bergisch Gladbach. (Author/publisher)
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