Labor productivity in the transport sector has not grown in the past ten years
Statistics Netherlands | CBS
Source published: 4 March 26
Labor productivity in the transport sector has not grown in the past ten years
Labor productivity in the Dutch transport sector has not grown in the past ten years, although it remains high internationally. This is reported by Statistics Netherlands (CBS).
The development of labor productivity in the transport sector slowed so much in the past ten years that it even declined. The labor productivity of the Dutch transport sector remains higher than that of comparable countries. This is reported by Statistics Netherlands (CBS) in the article Stagnation of labor productivity in the transport sector, 2014-2024.
The labor productivity of the entire economy has still grown since 2014. Between 1995 and 2014, labor productivity in the transport sector, including postal and courier services, aviation, and inland shipping, increased faster than in the entire Dutch economy. Labor productivity is expressed as the added value per hour worked. Growth in labor productivity is seen as an important driver of prosperity, especially in the long term.
Total economy
2014 = 100
Productivity recovers after corona crisis, except in aviation
Between 2014 and 2019, labor productivity in the transport sector as a whole declined by an average of -0.4 percent per year. Aviation was the only sector with a positive contribution to growth (+0.2 percentage points). Storage and transport services (including ports and Schiphol) had the strongest negative contribution, and water transport remained the same. These sectors were important for labor productivity growth in the transport sector until 2014.
Between 2020 and 2024, the average annual labor productivity in all sectors of the transport sector was positive, except in aviation. The added value in aviation has not yet recovered after the corona pandemic. The labor volume in hours worked did return and was above the pre-pandemic level in 2024.
Besides the growth of labor productivity within branches themselves, productivity in the transport sector can also increase because labor shifts to more productive branches (structural effect). Since 2014, this has contributed to labor productivity growth because proportionally more jobs were added in storage and transport services, a productive branch within the transport sector.
Water transport
Air transport
Storage, transport services
Post and courier services
Structural effects within the transport sector
Labor productivity growth
%
Various structural and cyclical developments may have caused labor productivity in the transport sector not to increase after 2014. For example, international trade grew less strongly in the past ten years than before 2014, and business dynamics decreased. Developments within branches may also have played a role, such as less letter mail and more packages, making delivery by post and couriers more labor-intensive.
Dutch transport sector productive compared to other countries
Labor productivity growth in the Dutch transport sector stagnated but remains more productive than other countries. Transport companies in Belgium and the Netherlands add the most value per hour worked. In 2024, this was on average 74 euros per hour in Belgium, slightly higher than in the Netherlands, where the added value was 66 euros per hour worked.
The higher labor productivity in Belgium is partly due to the productive postal and courier sector. In Poland (21 euros) and Spain (35 euros), the added value per hour worked was much lower than in the Netherlands and Belgium.
News & Coffee ☕
Openrijk runs on coffee, curiosity and your support.
