Transport Minister eyes strict truck curfew to reduce Bangkok jams

Transport Minister Saksayam Chidchob is planning to revisit the truck curfew policy, with an eye to restricting trucks and large vehicles to the hours from midnight to 4am in congested areas of Bangkok.
Saksayam said on Monday (August 26) during the seminar, “Economic Strategy Under The New Government”, that the Ministry is looking into increased restrictions in city areas where traffic jams are a serious problem.
“This policy will aim to permit trucks and large vehicles to run only from midnight to four in the morning,” he said. “This will allow other road users (cars, motorcycles, bicycle, and pedestrians) more road space during daytime, which should alleviate traffic digestion in the big city.
“It will also make roads safer for smaller cars and pedestrians, since large vehicles tend to cause more devastating and fatal accidents,” he added.
The Transport Minister admitted that the idea will probably be opposed by parties that use trucks as their main means of transport, such as logistics companies and manufacturing factories, so he is prepared to be flexible.
“Of course, exceptions can be made for large vehicles to traverse the city during daytime in case of emergency,” he said. “Otherwise, transport companies can switch to smaller vehicles when they can, which should still contribute to the cause of reducing traffic jams, as they take less space than trucks.”
Trucks are currently restricted during morning rush hours and afternoon to evening rush hours.
Saksayam added that the idea of a truck curfew has been around for years and many countries have successfully enforced it. “It might be troublesome at first, but once we adjust the working schedule accordingly, things should run smoothly. The truck curfew will benefit not only road users during daytime, but trucks and large vehicles will enjoy a smoother run and make better time per trip at night too.”