Gholamhossein Masleh, the head of the Association of Large-Scale Intelligent Road Transport Companies, reported on the concerning state of the road transport fleet in Iran. According to him, trucks older than 50 years consume over 75 liters of diesel every 100 kilometers, while this figure drops to about 35 to 40 liters in new trucks.
Challenges of Fleet Aging
Masleh announced that currently, more than 13,500 trucks over 50 years old are operating in the country. This aging not only increases the costs of transporting goods but also leads to fuel wastage. By comparing the fuel consumption of these vehicles with new trucks, it becomes clear that modernizing the fleet can save at least 35 liters of diesel for every 100 kilometers traveled.
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Beginning of Modernization but with Serious Obstacles
According to Masleh, the fleet modernization operations began in 2024, and in that year, about 140 new vehicles were introduced. In the recent phase, around 100 new heavy-duty trucks have entered the transport cycle, operating in the transportation of essential goods, fuel, and international transport. However, Masleh emphasized that there is a significant gap between modernization goals and actual performance. In the fifth and seventh development plans, the modernization of about 110,000 vehicles was anticipated, but this target has not yet been achieved as expected.
One of the main obstacles to modernization is securing financial resources for purchasing new vehicles. Masleh stated that the modernization carried out has mostly been financed through bank facilities with interest rates higher than 22 percent, and so far, no direct subsidies have been allocated to companies for this purpose.
Given the significant difference in fuel consumption between old and new trucks, fleet modernization can not only improve the quality of transport and reduce company costs but also help manage diesel consumption. However, achieving this goal depends on appropriate financing and the establishment of economic incentives for replacing aging trucks.
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