By our correspondent
ISLAMABAD: The Engineering Development Board has drafted a strategy for the modernisation of truck fleet under the National Trade Corridor (NTC) programme of the government.
Under the National Trade Corridor Improvement Programme (NTCIP), the government is addressing issues confronting the road freight sector, which carries almost 95 per cent of the country’s overland freight. Modernisation of the existing truck fleet forms part of it, aiming to take up the challenges and opportunities arising out of the expanding trade regime across the National Trade Corridor.
Modernisation of existing truck fleet will reduce fuel import bill by 25 per cent and road maintenance cost by $1 billion. The share of formal sector in trucking will increase from zero per cent to 25 per cent. It will also eliminate overloading, which is 43 per cent currently.
According to available statistics, there are 151.8 thousand trucks plying on the roads. This overland freight traffic, domestic and international, dominates the market owing to weak and unreliable railways.
Around 70 per cent of the truck fleet comprises two axle trucks. Road freight traffic in Pakistan is expected to grow by six per cent according to an estimate. Therefore, there is a dire need to modernise the truck fleet to facilitate expanding trade activities to overcome losses arising out of sector inefficiencies, resulting from low serviceability, which are largely caused by overloading, fuel inefficiencies, road damages as well as environmental hazards.
The strategy includes incentives-based financial schemes for large fleet operations as well as operations for small cooperatives. It emphasises capital investment, running finance and introduction of a comprehensive insurance regime. A timeframe would be set for addressing each set of issues pinpointed in the strategy with the consultation of stakeholders.
The strategy recommends a uniform computerised regime for registration in order to ensure that all basic details of the vehicle type including the number of axle are clearly mentioned in the registration book.
The information prepared by the provinces is to be compiled into a central databank for use by the enforcement and road management agencies.