By Fotis Fotinos
The Greek truck emits SOS, the Greek truck is in danger of disappearing. Foreign trucks “dominate” the Greek highways, as the domestic road freight market remains fragmented and “vulnerable” to competition.
Shocking proof: Greece, according to the latest available data from ACEA, has the oldest truck fleet in the EU, with an average of aged 21.4 years!
The demands of the industry include the introduction of incentives for fleet renewal, the reduction of tolls, the subsidization of fuel costs and the intensification of controls on foreign trucks.
In the last field, the discussions of the Ministry of Transport with the co-responsible ministries for the strengthening of the control system at the main entrance gates of the country have recently been “revived”.
The “Mixed Control Ladders” are “disarmed”
According to executives of Greek federations of Public Trucks, the Mixed Control Ladders have not managed – for various reasons – to “stop” the interception of a transport project by foreign trucks.
“The inspections are not intensive, in rare cases they take place at night. Also, most of the time the Mixed Ladders stop only Greek trucks and not foreign ones, due to difficulties in communication and the imposition of fines,” say market executives.
To deal with this phenomenon, the Ministry of Transport is in discussions with the Ministries of Finance and Development for the abolition of the Mixed Control Ladders and their replacement with fixed ladders, in specific locations that will have the appropriate logistical infrastructure.
The tightening of sanctions, such as the collection of fines on the ground, as is the case in other countries, is also being considered.
In general, it is estimated that other legislative interventions will occur, such as the amendment of the law on roadside inspections, with the completion of the cases of violations, for which the person in charge of loading is responsible.
In addition, the assessment of the minimum transport costs and the further control of the legal circulation and execution of transports by trucks owned by courier companies.
Source: Capital
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