Ban on four-axle trucks in doubt
Dec 05, 2007
THE works ministry is to take ‘action’ against four-axle truck owners after they failed to meet the first December 1 ban deadline. This follows a decision to ban all such trucks from operating on the East African regional bloc’s roads.
By Mikaili Sseppuya
THE works ministry is to take ‘action’ against four-axle truck owners after they failed to meet the first December 1 ban deadline. This follows a decision to ban all such trucks from operating on the East African regional bloc’s roads.
The regional governments reasoned that the four-axle trucks cause lots of damage to the road especially when turning, leading to high repair and maintenance costs.
The ban also follows adoption of common rules for gross weights and axle-load limits for vehicles used on interstate trunk roads in East Africa and the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa region.
The governments explained that an East African technical committee meeting had agreed that Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi follow Tanzania and Kenya, to phase out the four-axle group by December 1.
The trucks are used to transport petroleum products, cement and other building materials and several other exports and imports throughout the region, including southern Sudan and eastern DR Congo from the Mombasa port. Replacing each axle costs $5,000 (about sh9m), experts said.
In Kenya, the ban was stopped after the truck owners went to court challenging its implementation.
In Uganda, half of the truck owners are believed to have complied but are reportedly reverting to the four-axles which are cost-effective. Doubts also remain about how many transporters would fully comply with the the ban.
Susan Kataike, the ministry’s spokesperson, said last week promised ‘action’ against non-compliant truck owners.
But sources familiar with the transport industry said they do not see how the deadline would be enforced when there was still a court case on the issue in Kenya.
Their argument was also based on the fact that most goods for the landlocked Uganda come through Kenya on Kenyan trucks.
“Uganda is a landlocked country which depends a lot on what happens in Kenya. “There is congestion in Mombasa port and forcing through the conversion to three-axle trucks which carry less and increase costs by 20% would hardly be practical,†the source said. They said in any case, transporters needed assurance that once they convert their axles, everybody would do so.
“Otherwise, the ones who change when others have not will lose business to competitors who have not.
“Remember how the seatbelts and helmets deadlines changed several times?
“The difference is the cost element is involved,†he said.
THE works ministry is to take ‘action’ against four-axle truck owners after they failed to meet the first December 1 ban deadline. This follows a decision to ban all such trucks from operating on the East African regional bloc’s roads.
The regional governments reasoned that the four-axle trucks cause lots of damage to the road especially when turning, leading to high repair and maintenance costs.
The ban also follows adoption of common rules for gross weights and axle-load limits for vehicles used on interstate trunk roads in East Africa and the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa region.
The governments explained that an East African technical committee meeting had agreed that Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi follow Tanzania and Kenya, to phase out the four-axle group by December 1.
The trucks are used to transport petroleum products, cement and other building materials and several other exports and imports throughout the region, including southern Sudan and eastern DR Congo from the Mombasa port. Replacing each axle costs $5,000 (about sh9m), experts said.
In Kenya, the ban was stopped after the truck owners went to court challenging its implementation.
In Uganda, half of the truck owners are believed to have complied but are reportedly reverting to the four-axles which are cost-effective. Doubts also remain about how many transporters would fully comply with the the ban.
Susan Kataike, the ministry’s spokesperson, said last week promised ‘action’ against non-compliant truck owners.
But sources familiar with the transport industry said they do not see how the deadline would be enforced when there was still a court case on the issue in Kenya.
Their argument was also based on the fact that most goods for the landlocked Uganda come through Kenya on Kenyan trucks.
“Uganda is a landlocked country which depends a lot on what happens in Kenya. “There is congestion in Mombasa port and forcing through the conversion to three-axle trucks which carry less and increase costs by 20% would hardly be practical,†the source said. They said in any case, transporters needed assurance that once they convert their axles, everybody would do so.
“Otherwise, the ones who change when others have not will lose business to competitors who have not.
“Remember how the seatbelts and helmets deadlines changed several times?
“The difference is the cost element is involved,†he said.