ABSTRACT
Transport is an important and rapidly growing activity in modern society. It is an essential element of many production processes where movement of goods or labour is required (freight transport, business travel, commuting). But it also plays an important role in consumptive activities of households in the form of shopping, social visits, etc. Moreover, transport itself is an important industry in many countries. In the Netherlands for example, it contributes 8 per cent to the GDP. Road transport is considered as one of the main export sectors of the Dutch economy; the share of Dutch companies in international freight transport by road in the EC is near to 25 per cent.
