The Report describes the main operational characteristics of theprivate road freight industry of Pakistan. It is based chiefly on the results of a nation-wide survey carried out in 1986, in which 3500 truck drivers were interviewed at 39 sites located at inter-district boundaries. Information was collected on vehicle age, make, body type, value, ownership, fleet management, finance, tariffs, load, operating performance, costs, and accidents. Additional information ispresented from surveys of freight consignors and freight agents andfrom drivers' own records of operating costs and revenues. Until the early 1980s the industry was totally dominated by Bedford trucks with a design capacity of 7 tons. This truck is now declining in importance as more profitable, larger capacity trucks are introduced. Overall the industry is very competitive and the vehicle fleet is run efficiently. However there appears to be considerable scope for the introduction of greater numbers of larger vehicles
Abstract