Although there was a slight slowing in the momentum of the freight transport industry compared to the findings of the previous survey conducted in fiscal 2014, survey responses indicated that the business climate remains generally firm against the backdrop of Japan’s economic recovery.

Growth in demand for new standard trucks as well as in the number of standard trucks in use continued, despite the ongoing decline in Japan’s total freight transport volume. Survey results also indicated a strong interest on the part of individual businesses in fleet expansion, particularly among larger-sized enterprises.

Although average truck-loading and deadheading rates were on a general par with the rates recorded in the fiscal 2014 survey, the number of hours and number of days of actual vehicle operation fell back to the levels tracked in the fiscal 2012 survey.

In addition to Japan’s structural labor shortage, revisions in 2007 to its driver licensing system have also continued to impact the supply of drivers for freight transport. Overall, the industry has seen further increases in driver shortages and in the average age of truck drivers. However, five-year forward projections in the latest survey indicated somewhat less concern over such shortages compared to the findings of two years ago, perhaps reflecting hopes for positive impacts from the introduction this March of the new “quasi-middle-category motor vehicle” driver’s license subclass.

Japan’s freight transport industry is promoting the installation in standard trucks of so-called back-eye rear-view monitoring cameras, event data recorders, and other safety support systems and equipment. Survey results revealed a particularly keen desire among users of freight carrier services for the wider utilization of event data recorders.

Reduced accidents and potential solutions to driver shortages were among the higher-ranked benefits of using autonomous driving functions, according to survey responses overall.