Lack of supervision over the supply of motor oil and tires, non-clearance of imported trucks, continued use of decrepit vehicles and high customs duties are the main problems facing truckers, according to the head of Iran’s National Association of Truckers.
"There is no supervision over the supply of spare parts and the price of motor oil offered to truckers in the market," Firouz Khodaei was also quoted as saying by Khabar Khodro.
The official calls for facilitating truck fleet renewal by reducing customs duty to help truckers purchase vehicles at a more affordable price.
Noting that the supply of motor oil at stable prices has become a challenging task, he said, "One of the basic problems discussed invariably in the meetings of truckers’ association is the shortage of motor oil. At the beginning of the current fiscal year [March 21], with the follow-ups of the association, some factories distributed truck motor oils at the government rate in several terminals, which has now stopped.”
Khodaei stated that motor oil is currently being sold at a price threefold higher than the government rate.
“Like other spare parts, tires are supplied at a free rate in the open market. Although the comprehensive trading system was designed to distribute tires at the Nima currency rate and register the products of importers and domestic manufacturers, unfortunately tires distributed in this system are not of a good quality. If they are of good quality, they are left out of the system and do not reach the real consumer,” he said.
The official denied the fact that the prices of tires in this system are higher than the open market prices.
According to Khodaei, the plan for scrapping old vehicles for buying imported trucks has been rejected by the Guardians Council.
This decision will further delay the scrapping of old trucks, which has worsened air pollution in cities, and hinder the renewal of truck fleet.
Vehicle Scrappage Snags
An automotive expert believes that most of the problems facing the vehicle scrappage plan can be solved, if the Department of Environment were to accept the equalization table.
The old vehicle scrappage plan was launched to alleviate air pollution, reduce fuel consumption and renovate the domestic automotive fleet.
However, the plan lost momentum following the parliamentary ratification that mandated the registration of a heavy vehicle against the same type that is scrapped. Consequently, the Department of Environment also insists on the same requisite for accepting the vehicle scrappage certificate.
“The scrapping centers have enough certificates for passenger cars and if the Department of Environment agrees with the equalization table, they can meet the needs of car manufacturers,” Jalal Amini-Fard, a member of the Board of Directors of the Isfahan Scrapping Centers Association, was quoted as saying by Donyaye Khodro.
“The Department of Environment has announced that diesel cars should be scrapped for the registration of diesel cars and gasoline cars for gasoline cars. If this restriction is removed with the equalization table, the problem of companies like Bahman Diesel will be solved. This issue has also been announced to Hossein Khezri, the CEO of Bahman Diesel, who has written a letter to the Department of Environment so that the condition of the type of fuel for scrapping could be eliminated,” he added.
The expert noted that the equalization table was considered for alleviating the shortage of scraps in heavy or light vehicle sectors.
“Currently, the Department of Environment opposes this table and only accepts the scrap certificate of each segment for the same vehicle, which we consider an obstacle. As a result, we are facing a shortage of scrap certificates in the commercial and heavy vehicle sectors, but we can provide this certificate issued for cars if the department accepts the table of equivalence,” he said.
“The parliament has proposed that the cost of scrappage should be 1.5% of diesel cars, in which case no one will be willing to participate in the scrappage of heavy vehicles.”
Amini-Fard said passenger vehicle scrap certificate is available and if the equalization table is implemented, it will be applicable for both diesel and gasoline vehicles.
