2010: The year of the covered truck and a decent driver cabin

“The idea to is to make Indian roads safer and also make trucks safer vehicles. Maximum road accidents are said to be caused by heavy goods vehicles, mostly trucks. We have formulated a truck body code as per which all trucks will have standard dimensions and the cargo section will have to be a closed unit, all covered up, as is the norm in most developed countries. This will ensure goods don’t spill on to the road in case of an accident. The severity of accident will also be lessened. Truck specifications will be such that in the event of an accident, minimal damage is caused,” a senior Ministry official told The Indian Express.

The Ministry’s 2006 road accident data says that trucks and other goods vehicles accounted for about a quarter (23.2%) of total road accidents and 29.2% of fatal road accidents. This despite the fact that buses, trucks and tempos together account for just 7.75 of the total registered vehicles.

The Ministry says its code will focus on the most neglected area and that may correct things on roads considerably — the comfort level of truck drivers.

“The code will ensure adequate seating space for drivers with proper rear view mirrors and windscreens. Also it will be ensured that the driver’s cabin maintains an ambient temperature and at no event does it go above 35 degree Celsius to ensure decent working conditions for drivers,” the official said.

The truck body code suggests green tinted windscreen, slide windows, blowers, ventilation points and lining the whole cabin area with heat insulating material for the driver’s comfort. No part of the vehicle’s fixed component should intrude into the driver’s work area — this will ensure minimal injury in case of accidents.

While the cargo section will be a closed unit, no mountable carrier will be permitted above it. That apart, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has already mandated creation of rest areas for truckers along highways.

The Ministry has already taken on board the truck manufacturers and has held several rounds of discussions with them on the issue.

“We have spoken to transporters and manufacturers on the issue and they had some concerns which we have addressed. We plan to bring in the notification on the truck body code later this year and that will be followed next year by the creation of a special accreditation body which will be able to go to various manufacturing units which fabricate truck chassis and certify them if they meet the specifications. By 2010, all new trucks manufactured in India will have to follow these rules and the existing ones will be given a year’s time to upgrade,” an official said.