Japan is exploring an alternative solution to address the impending shortage of truck drivers by constructing a conveyor belt that exceeds 311 miles (approximately 500 kilometers) to speed up cargo transportation nationwide.
This conveyor belt, named Autoflow, will connect Tokyo and Osaka and will consist of a large network of conveyor systems similar to those at airports, extending either along the edges of major roads or beneath them. Additionally, there is an alternative proposal to move goods using automated electric carts along dedicated routes. Theoretically, the system could operate continuously, day and night, transporting the same amount of goods as 25,000 truck drivers.
The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism of Japan revealed the plan in a report last week as a means for the country to combat the imminent shortage of truck drivers. It stated that a combination of declining population and stricter regulations governing the amount of time drivers can spend behind the wheel will contribute to a decrease in available drivers from 660,000 in 2020 to 480,000 in 2030.
The report indicates that this 36% shortage of drivers—rising to 41% in some areas—could mean that 30% of deliveries will not reach their final destinations by 2030 unless measures are taken. Although the conveyor belt plan has not yet received the green light, the Japan Times reports that the government's target is to launch it in 2034.
This conveyor belt would remove 25,000 trucks from the roads, alleviating congestion, reducing carbon emissions, and helping to address the trucking crisis. While it has not been fully tested, a 23-kilometer conveyor belt is already in use at the Toriagatayama limestone mine in the country. In Africa, a 100-kilometer system is transporting phosphate between the mine and the port.
However, the construction costs will be substantial, nearing $23 billion, although the government has not provided any estimates yet. By the time the infrastructure is finally operational after a decade, autonomous technology will be much more advanced than it is now.
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