Truckers put forward new proposals for high cube containers

With the Department of Transport determined that it is not going increase the maximum height of freight vehicles and loads above the current 4.3-metre maximum – it is going to force the trucking industry to replace almost all of SA’s container fleet. And unless a proposal from the Road Freight Association (RFA) is accepted by the Department of Transport (DoT), that could mean an overnight change would be required. This is related to the association’s plea to the transport authority to increase the overall height limit so that our current fleet of 1.5-1.6-metre trailers can legally carry the ‘high cube’ containers that are now flooding into the country. And these ‘high cubes’ are definitely here to stay. From 2005 the road transport industry has estimated that in excess of 400 000 high-cubes have moved on our nation’s roads every year. For the past two years this estimate has been jacked up to over the halfmillion mark. There is also a continuing swing to 40 foot (12-m) containers entering SA – with the present ratio of 20-ft (6-m) to 40-ft being 50%-50%, up from a 70%-30% split of a few years ago. And about 90% of these 40-fts are highcube. The RFA’s original argument was that, with high-cubes becoming almost the standard height for containers, it made sense for the DoT to raise their limit on commercial freight vehicles. But, despite extensive discussions with transporters, the department has determined that it will not increase the height of 4.3-m as stipulated in Regulation 224 (Overall height of vehicle and load) nor is it in favour of determining high-cube containers as an “abnormal load”. Based on this the RFA has been left with no other option but to propose replacing its current trailer fleet with trailers with deck-heights low enough to carry high-cube containers legally. But it further proposes that this be regulated, allowing a long enough replacement period for the industry to get the full commercial lifespan out of its present trailers. The RFA has put three proposals on the table. • A moratorium on the prosecution of vehicles carrying high cube containers (for over-height offences only) will be in place until such time as the steps below have come into effect (which the DoT has already agreed to, said the RFA); • All new vehicles registered from July 1, 2011 and intended to be used to transport highcube containers, be so built (designed) as to transport the high cube container within the prescribed maximum height of 4.3-m; • All currently registered vehicles will legally transport high cube containers over the prescribed maximum height of 4.3-m until July 31, 2025 – allowing 15 years to depreciate the capital expenditure (Capex) of current fleet, after which all vehicles will comply with the 4.3-m maximum height prescription.