Earlier this year it was announced Japan was preparing to consider a creative solution to address its worsening truck driver shortage – the construction of a 500-kilometre-long conveyor belt between Osaka and Tokyo.
Now, that idea is one step closer to becoming reality.
The project, which has been dubbed a ‘conveyor belt road’ by the government is set to be trialled in 2027, with full operational capacity hoped to be up and running by the mid-2030s.
Japan’s truck driver shortage has only been exacerbated by recently introduced laws that limit the amount of overtime drivers can do. As it stands, the nation’s overall transport capacity is set to drop 34 per cent by 2030, while its freight demand continues to rise.
“[The proposal] will not only address the logistics crisis, but also help reduce greenhouse gas emissions,” Transport Minister Tetsuo Saito said earlier this year.
The government has released a concept video of how large, palletised containers each able to carry up to a tonne of freight – move side-by-side along the auto flow road.
“The key concept of the auto flow road is to create dedicated spaces within the road network for logistics, utilising 24-hour automated and unmanned transportation systems,” senior official at Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism says.
“We need to be innovative in the way we approach roads.”
Early budget concepts suggest construction of the project could rise to AU$36.4 billion (¥3.7 trillion).
To view the Japanese Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism’s video on the auto flow road concept, click here.
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