Summer Survival: Can Mandatory AC Installation In Trucks Keep Drivers Cool And Safe?
Modified On Apr 24, 2024 07:04 PM
As temperatures soar in the summer, transporting cargo via trucks becomes increasingly challenging. Mandating air conditioning in commercial vehicle cabins can help operators manage logistics operations more comfortably
When the summertime heat begins to rise, it is more important than ever to have safe and comfortable working conditions for truck drivers. Truck drivers spend much time inside the cabin which gets hot during the summer season. Drivers in India operate commercial vehicles in harsh temperatures of 43-47 degrees which can push you to imagine the driver’s conditions during haulage. This can lead to major health hazards like dehydration and heat exhaustion.
The attached video shows the driving conditions of the truck drivers during summer. You can see the driver has no option to cool down than pouring water on himself. It is very risky to transport the cargo material as pouring water on the body can lose the concentration of the driver and cause a road safety concern.
In addition to affecting comfort, the circumstances shown in the video may reduce the driver’s productivity during freight movement. It could eventually jeopardise road and truck driver safety. An important cabin feature that can significantly improve driver safety and comfort is the installation of AC systems in trucks. The installation of AC in trucks becomes necessary for cargo transportation, especially when it is blazing hot, to keep drivers cool and safe.
Related Link: Draft Notification To Mandate AC Installation In Trucks Is Already Approved But Nitin Gadkari Has More Plans
Draft Notification To Mandate AC Installation In Trucks
Keeping in mind the truck driver's comfort and safety, Union Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari recently approved the draft notification for compulsory installation of air-conditioning systems in the cabins of trucks under categories N2 and N3.
As per this notification, the N2 category covers medium-duty trucks that fall under the gross vehicle weight (GVW) range from 3.5-tonne to 12-tonne. And, the N3 category covers trucks of more than 12-tonne GVW.
To ensure road and driver safety, the Union Minister tweeted, “This decision marks a significant milestone in providing comfortable working conditions for truck drivers, thereby improving their efficiency and addressing the problem of driver fatigue.”
Impact Of The Mandatory AC Installation In Trucks
Union Minister Nitin Gadkari has already approved the proposal for the mandatory AC installation in the cabins of trucks from 2025. It has a significant impact on driver’s safety, comfort, productivity, and business profitability. During cargo mobility under intense sunlight, the truck drivers have more difficulty surviving inside the heated cabin.
In such cases, the driver needs fresh and cool air to breathe in so that features like air conditioning reduces the driver’s fatigue and provides chilling comfort. Besides the truck driver’s safety, the mandatory AC installation inside the cabin can also ensure road safety. Even automakers also believe that the interior features of the truck directly influence the productivity of drivers.
What We Think
Commercial vehicles are the main pillars of logistics businesses catering to diverse industries like FMCG, e-commerce, couriers, parcels, packers and movers. Air-conditioned truck cabins not only offer comfort and safety but also improve the driver’s productivity. With the mandatory AC installation in trucks, commercial vehicles can help logistics businesses grow profitably by improving turnaround time.
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