The first quarter of 2010 has already seen a return to some unmistakable growth rates in freight transport.

Forecasts for the year as a whole in Germany, for example, assume an increase in road freight transport of over 6%. "In the coming year, we could reach the volume we had in 2008," said Matthias Wissmann, president of the VDA (Association of the German auto industry). Despite all the positive signs, "the crisis is not yet over."

It will take "quite a while" to get back to pre-crisis commercial vehicle sales levels. 2010 production levels in Western Europe, North America and Japan are below those of 2008, but data show that commercial vehicle markets have begun to recover.

More from Eckehart Rotter on +49 (0)69 97507 266 or rotter@vda.de