A production and cost analysis of log transportation by flatbed trucks in the central jungle region of Peru

• Main Author: Aquino, David Cirilo
• Language: English
• Published: University of British Columbia 2010
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/2429/25735

This thesis reports a study of the productivity and cost of hauling logs by flatbed trucks, observed during 1985 at Belho Horizonte S.C.R. Ltd. sawmill, in Pichanaki, Peru. This operation typifies many similar hauling operations in the Peruvian tropical mountain forests. In order to investigate means of improving productivity and decreasing hauling costs in the hauling operations of the Forest companies in the Central Jungle Region of Peru, the productivity and cost trade-offs of truck hauling by diesel-powered trucks and gasoline-powered trucks was evaluated. Furthermore, the overall hauling system was also examined to identify the main factors that govern productivity and costs of the flatbed trucks. The truck activities during the entire hauling cycle were recorded using Servis Recorders. The haul distance, the number of logs and the volume hauled per trip were also recorded on a survey form. Complementary information regarding truck cost parameters was also obtained. The results show that there is no significant difference in performance between gasoline-powered trucks and diesel-powered trucks when they are compared for the following operating variables: velocity empty, velocity loaded, delay, loading and unloading time. Significantly greater payloads per trip have been found for diesel-powered trucks. Very low productivity and very expensive hauling costs have been found for both types of truck as a result of low truck speed caused by the poor conditions of the forest roads, low productivity of the manual loading method, and excessive delay time per trip. Substantial productivity increases and haul cost reductions can be obtained by upgrading the forest roads, mechanizing the loading operation, reducing the delay time, and loading the vehicles to their capacity every trip. Under the existing operating conditions, hauling logs with used (17-18 yr-old) gasoline-powered trucks was more cost efficient for the most frequent one-way haul distance (30-50 km) in the Central Jungle Region of Peru. The information provided in this study can be applied for planning purposes and to examine the feasibility of using trucks of greater payload capacity, and new loading and unloading equipment. In addition, the actual configuration of the forest roads can be compared to the requirements of future trucking equipment. === Forestry, Faculty of === Graduate