Covid 19 Outbreak and Rail Freight Transport

In our country, only 4 percent of total freight transport is done by rail. It is clear that the share of epidemics from foreign countries is large in the spread of these diseases. Since many of our ports still do not have railroads, the loads coming to our ports are transported by trucks or trucks. Loads and exhausts carried by trucks and trucks will have a great impact on the spread of the epidemic.

What risks have brought us and bringing them with rubber wheels instead of railways?

• The number of people entering the port area will be at least 10 times higher than by rail. Both the port staff and vehicle drivers will have an increased risk of contracting / carrying disease.
• Every vehicle driver entering the port area will be a potential carrier. Breakdowns, refueling, and people who come into contact during vehicle maintenance can also infect the illnesses and their families.
• Transactions for the traffic permit of these vehicles will also pose a risk.
• The spread of the invoice epidemic disease, which will be arranged separately for each vehicle, is another risk.
• During the road control of the extinguishers, there is also the possibility of transmitting epidemic to the staff in charge.

Ports that still do not have a railway connection should be planned to make a railway connection as soon as possible. The port, which has previously been connected to the railway, such as the port of Haydarpaşa, has to be reconnected to the ports whose rail connection has been canceled. The gradual increase in container transportation, loading the load on board or in the wagon directly onto the wagon-ship will increase handling cost and ship loading-unloading speed. Increasing the loading and unloading speed of the ships will cause our country to be preferred for the ships.

The effect of rubber wheel vehicles to increase air pollution can be clearly seen these days. Port-rail connections should be implemented in order to increase the rate of rail freight transport, which is a cheap, safe, environmentally friendly freight transport method.

Heavenly Young