More than one million commercial vehicles

At the beginning of 2003, the number of commercial vehicles registered in the Netherlands passed the one million mark for the first time. Five years ago there were three-quarters of a million commercial vehicles.

Number commercial vehicles, 1 January 2003

The numbers of vans and specially equipped vehicles in particular were higher.

Increase in commercial vehicles

Special vehicles

Some 95 percent of all commercial vehicles are used for commercial goods transport. Only 5 percent are used for other purposes. This is a heterogeneous category, and includes fire engines, breakdown lorries, sludge gulpers and refuse lorries.

Number of special vehicles

About half of all special vehicles are not used for commercial purposes. In 2003 these include 24 thousand campers which are used by private people for recreational purposes. Five years ago there were only 10 thousand of such vehicles in the Netherlands.

Increase in commercial vehicles in the north of the Netherlands

Strongest increase in the north

The number of commercial vehicles grew fastest in the north of the Netherlands: by 60 percent in the last five years. In the west of the country the growth was lower: 30 percent, well under the average for the country as a whole.

Increase in commercial vehicles in the west of the Netherlands

Over 40 percent of all commercial vehicles are registered in the west of the Netherlands, ten percent in the north.

Huub Coninx