are sections on the main routes where maintenance schedules have fallen behind due to a lack of funds. The network provides a sound basis for a vibrant cross-border road transport sector.

Currently, some 1,300 to 1,500 large trucks registered in Zambia operate nationally and regionally<sup>12</sup> . Zambian truck operators can be classified into the following categories, subject to the trucks they operate:

# **Box 2 A Typology of Zambian Trucking Companies**<sup>**13**</sup>

1. **_Small trucks_** , two axles, used for local distribution and deliveries (less than 3.5 tonnes) and which do not require an operating permit. These trucks are operated mainly by businesses rather than by transport companies.

2. **_Medium sized rigid trucks_** , two axles, and smaller articulated trucks with up to four axles (from 3.5 tonnes to 20 tonnes). Many of these trucks are also owned and operated by businesses (construction companies, manufacturing companies, wholesalers and retailers) and used mainly for distribution and deliveries, but they also serve the agricultural sector, carrying tobacco, sugar to processing plants and warehouses. These trucks are generally not used for cross-border regional transportation because of the higher cost of operating per ton of freight carried. This category of companies would be the most affected if the rule on cabotage is lifted because this would allow foreign trucking companies to carry out local direct deliveries on a discounted price or tariff basis while waiting for back hauls.

3. **_Large Articulated Trucks_** , five to eight axles (up to 56 tonnes) operated by small and medium sized Zambian trucking companies, carrying mainly bulk goods within Zambia (copper metal, copper concentrate, cement, coal, sugar, grain and smaller numbers of containerized goods). This forms the core of the Zambian trucking sector, driven by the current 2006 high demand for transport services from the mining and agricultural sectors. There are many Zambian trucking companies which operate in this category, transporting bulk goods to and from inland ports such as Ndola, Lusaka, Livingstone, Kapiri, transshipped to or from rail, as part of a multi-modal transport system. The demand for road haulage within Zambia is set to increase with the planned increased copper production.

4. **_Large Articulated Trucks_**<sup>**_14_**</sup> , six to eight axles (48 tonnes to 56 tonnes), operated by the large Zambian trucking companies on regional routes and cross-border freight services. This is mainly confined to the large operators generally owning between 15 and more than 200 trucks.

12 For Gross Vehicle Mass (GVM) of trucks between 48 tonnes and 56 tonnes. Based on truck performance data (turnaround times) and freight flows, 3600 units currently operate on Zambian roads and Zambian regional transport routes. According to the RTSA, 8483 trucks are currently licensed (including small trucks).

> 13 Virtually all road trucks used for regional cross border freight services are of the trailer combination type, either seven axles carrying a 35 tonnes load or six axles carrying a 27 tonnes load.

> 14 The typical distance target for a Zambian operator is 11000 km per month, or 130000 km per annum, and the trucks are operated to the end of their economic life, which is typically more than 1500000 km, or up to 12 years total service.

10