* Tokyo - Truck length regulations to be eased to address driver shortage
-- The Transport Ministry plans to ease regulations on the total length of trucks as early as this summer, making it possible for long trucks pulling trailers to travel on major expressways... A shortage of truck drivers has become a serious problem, as the amount of cargo transported is increasing due to such reasons as growing sales over the Internet. The Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Ministry therefore intends to make it possible for a driver to transport two large trucks worth of cargo... Test drives are scheduled for the Shin-Tomei Expressway, which does not have many curves. After verifying the results, the government plans to expand the test to other expressways... According to a government ordinance on vehicle restrictions based on the Road Law, the total length of special vehicles, such as a large truck pulling a trailer, is currently capped at 21 meters. This is equivalent to about 1½ large trucks with a loading capacity of 10 tons per truck... The maximum permissible length will be increased to 25 meters, making it possible for large trucks with trailers to travel on expressways. Two large trucks are currently needed to transport about 20 tons of cargo, but one driver will be able to haul that much if cargo box carriers can be connected... When special vehicles such as a truck pulling a trailer travel on a road, the route must be submitted in advance to the government and other entities, and permission obtained for the trip... According to a survey published by the Japan Trucking Association in February this year, about 68 percent of 528 transport companies said they do not have sufficient truck drivers. The trucking industry has therefore called for the government to ease regulations to make cargo transportation more efficient...
Tokyo, Japan - The Yomiuri Shimbun - April 09, 2016
Labels: trucks' lenght limits
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