Transport prices and costs in Africa : a review of the main international corridors / Supee Teravaninthorn, Gaël Raballand.

Format:

Book

Government document

Author/Creator:

Teravaninthorn, Supee.

Contributor:

Raballand, Gaël.

Series:

Directions in development (Washington, D.C.). Infrastructure

Directions in development. Infrastructure

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Transportation--Africa--Costs.

Transportation.

Africa.

Physical Description:

xvi, 145 pages : illustrations, map ; 23 cm.

Place of Publication:

Washington, DC : World Bank, [2009]

Summary:

Transport prices for most African landlocked countries range from 15 to 20 percent of import costs. This is approximately two to three times more than in most developed countries. It is well known that weak infrastructure can account for low trade performance. Thus, it becomes necessary to understand what types of regional transport services operate in landlocked African nations and it is critical to identify the regulation disparities and provision anomalies that hurt infrastructure efficiency, even when the physical infrastructure, such as a road transport corridor, exists.

Transport Prices and Costs in Africa analyzes the various reasons for poor transport performance seen widely throughout Africa and provides a compelling case for a number of national and regional reforms that are vital to the effort to address the underlying causes of high transport prices and costs and service unpredict-ability seen in Africa. The book will greatly help supervisory authorities throughout the region develop and implement a comprehensive transport policy that will facilitate long-term growth.

Contents:

Chapter 1 Introduction and Overview 1

Past Research on Transport Prices and Costs 1

Scope and Methodology of This Study 2

Analysis of the Transport Environment 4

Policy Recommendations 7

Notes 12

Chapter 2 Trucking in Africa Compared with Other Regions 13

Global Comparisons 14

Regional Perspectives 18

Market Regulation, Competition, and Prices in the Trucking Industry 20

Notes 26

Chapter 3 Key Logistics and Market Characteristics of the Transport Corridors 29

West Africa 31

Central Africa 32

The Northern Corridor in East Africa 32

The North-South Corridor in Southern Africa 33

Notes 35

Chapter 4 Main Determinants of Transport Prices and Trucking Profitability 37

Heterogeneity of Transport Prices in Africa 37

The Importance of Rail Competition for Road Freight Prices 38

Profitability Determinants 39

Notes 44

Chapter 5 The Impact of Cartels on Transport Prices and Quality 47

Impact of Freight-Sharing Schemes 49

Truck Age and Utilization 55

Cartels 58

Fleet Size 59

Notes 60

Chapter 6 Transport Costs Determinants 63

Typology of Trucking Companies in Africa 64

Operating Costs in the Subregions 64

The Importance of Variable Costs 69

Breakdown of Fixed Costs 72

Public Procedures and the Opportunity Cost of Delays 75

Notes 77

Chapter 7 The Impact of Road Conditions on Transport Costs 79

Road Conditions in the Study Corridors 79

How Road Conditions Affect Operating Costs 79

Notes 83

Chapter 8 The Trucking Market in Africa: Perceptions and Reality 85

Chapter 9 Assessment of Policy Options 89

Policies for West and Central Africa 90

Policies for East Africa 93

Policies for Southern Africa 94

Notes 96

Chapter 10 Implications for Economic and Fiscal Analysis and for Data Collection 97

Finance Regular Studies of Transport Prices and Costs Determinants 97

Improve the Economic Analysis of Road Projects 98

Assess the Impact of Fiscal Policies on Transport Services 100

Note 101

Chapter 11 Conclusions, Recommendations, and the Role of International Development Agencies 103

Key Findings and Conclusions 103

Recommendations 105

The Role of Development Partners 106

Map 1 African Landlocked Countries 107.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages 109-111) and index.

ISBN:

9780821376508

0821376500

OCLC:

253840660