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CAPITAL EQUIPMENT NEWS
DECEMBER 2015
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demands of the modern economy more
successfully than other transport methods.
It is flexible and can reach almost any des-
tination unencumbered by any predeter-
mined routing. Also, it can achieve higher
speeds and hence becomes a far quicker
medium of delivering freight.
This high-speed method of movement
speaks volumes in favour of moving high
value goods by truck so that the capital tied
up in the load can be freed without delay as
opposed to other means of transport, such
as rail, which operates on a fixed timetable.
Furthermore, a truck can be used to move
smaller loads economically as opposed to
rail which only performs well when moving
bulk materials and large volumes of goods
over long distances. Some operators have
invested millions in vehicles to move bulk
loads effectively by road. The differences in
these performance profiles clearly indicate
the different roles of the various modes of
transport and impose clear limits from the
start on any attempt to shift freight trans-
port away from the roads.
However the major importance of the truck
for freight transport calls for vehicle man-
ufacturers and the road haulers to make a
concerted effort to minimise the negative
aura surrounding trucks. Vehicle manu-
facturers are continuously improving their
designs to meet global standards with sig-
nificant reductions in truck emissions and
improvements in fuel consumption. The
transport operators are now facing up to
their responsibilities by making greater use
of the trucks’ load capacities thus avoiding
unladen journeys.
So, if our National Authority wishes to open
up rail transport again let it open it up to
be competitive with the current transport
methods and the competition will ultimate-
ly lead to its efficiency. In particular, it can
use its long distance potential and in this
way increase its market share thereby opti-
mising the entire transport system. On the
other hand enforcing unreasonable legisla-
tion to make road transport artificially more
expensive in order to increase the appeal of
rail would be going backwards.
Pierre Sanson, Editor
A
s the end of 2015 approaches, it’s
time to reflect somewhat on the past
year and the upheaval that has beset
the country. It is always the ‘same old, same
old’ issues even though every year they ap-
pear take on a different guise. Most political
issues seem to have a direct effect on the
trucking industry. We seem to be the whip-
ping boys of the political system.
If this surfaces once more, I would like to
be able to stand up for the trucking industry
and highlight the dominant position a truck
occupies in freight transport in spite of the
negative publicity trucking always receives.
Politicians are always on about reviving the
railway system to take the loads off the
roads because of their deterioration. This
time delay tactic is used as an excuse not
to repair the roads.
Trucks have shaped the course of economic
development since they have been avail-
able and that’s about 100 years, evolving
through the mechanical age to the technical
marvels they are today.
The technological advantage of a truck en-
ables it to be used to master the transport
THE ROLE
OF TRUCKING
makes economic sense
COMMENT