Evaluation of Selected Effects of Pavement Riding Quality on Logistics Costs in South Africa

The efficient operation of a country's economy depends, among other things, on an efficient logistical system to ensure that goods can be transported efficiently between producers and users. The costs of logistics include aspects such as transport, storage, inventory, and management. Of these, the transport costs are directly influenced by the condition of the transport infrastructure. The effects of road riding quality on the costs of logistics were evaluated through analysis of data on actual truck costs (specifically, vehicle damage and maintenance) obtained from a logistics service provider as well as data on road riding quality for the routes used by the company. Analysis of the data indicated that the vehicle operating costs increased with decreasing riding quality (as would be expected). Spending adequate resources on the maintenance of routes in a country decreased vehicle fleet operating costs and ultimately the logistics costs of the country. It is recommended that the study be broadened to incorporate a larger sample of vehicles and road conditions.