"After morning rush hour has finished, you get in line for the evening rush hour"

The traffic problem in Belgium gets worse every year; more and more cars and lorries are daily stuck in the traffic around Antwerp or Brussels. “Many people underestimate the way the cost price increases due to traffic. If the average speed decreases by 5 kilometres per hour, the cost price increases by 9.17% (source UPTR).

This is what has happened in the past five years,” says Johan Chrétien of Rejo Fresh from Roeselare. He states that the loss of time due to traffic is one of the most important problems in the logistics sector. “If we are talking about the increasing cost price, it is not just about the diesel. A lorry has a lot more wear and tear if it is stuck in traffic than when it is driving. Besides, the customers do not pay for the traffic. So it is an extra and an increasing expense.”

“The ITLB has calculated the impact of an average speed decrease on the cost price. The economical results are very alarming!” (source: UPTR March/April)

No JIT delivery anymore – many half-filled lorries

A lot has changed in just a few years. “Five years ago, it was very easy to plan delivering products on time to your customers, nowadays you cannot be sure if it is possible,” he continues. “As a company, you can no longer guarantee just-in-time-delivery. If we are planning a route, we do not always know if the best way is via Antwerp or Brussels. When the morning rush has finished, it is almost time to join the evening rush. Besides, they are more often busy with fixing the roads and then we have to find an alternative route. With lorries that is not always easy, and very frustrating.” According to him, the Belgian government has been searching for a solution for a long time. “But it still has not been found” Is there even a solution? “The fact is that the Belgian road network has to be improved and that seems to be the most important point. Moreover, transporters have to start working together. There are too many half-filled lorries on the road, which can easily be fixed.”

The bizarre situation in Flanders on Thursday morning 20 October 2016 at 08:30 hr.

Staff

Because of the traffic problem, other things are harder as well. “It puts a lot of pressure on the driver. The pressure is first put on me at the planning department, but it is then immediately passed to the driver. He wants to deliver his freight on time to the client and this is not always possible. Not every client understands this, which makes his job even more stressful.”

For more information:
Johan Chrétien
Rejo Fresh
Oostnieuwkerksesteenweg 101
8800 Roeselare (Belgium)

Tel.: +32 51 25 44 72

Fax: +32 51 25 44 73