Representatives from Association of Malaysian Hauliers (AMH), Malaysia Trucking Federation (MTF), Malaysia Tipper Lorry Operators Association (MTLOA), Malaysia Mobile Crane Owners Association (MMCOA), and Persatuan Usahawan Logistik Semenanjung Malaysia (PULSE) issued a joint statement in a press conference held on 21 February 2025 pertaining the impact on their operations experienced by banning trucks from major highways during peak hours.

The recent enforcement of peak hour restrictions on DUKE and ELITE Highways, took effect on 19th February 2025, and has since raised significant concerns according to the associations. It was learned that these restrictions, implemented without industry consultation, are causing severe operational disruptions, increased costs, and economic burdens for hauliers. The implications of these may also negatively impact the entire country’s economy, the present representatives said.

Legal Framework
When discussing the vehicle bans, one would first have to consider the legal framework, the present association representatives explained. Transport owners are subject to minimum wages to be paid to drivers. Wages are earned through commissions, generally in the form of a fixed sum per trip. The amounts paid per trip will be calculated based on distance, type of good etc.

Further, truck drivers are allowed to work a maximum of 12 hours per day (like any other employee in Malaysia). After continuous driving of four (4) hours, a 30-minute break has to be taken. Trucks need to be parked in designated areas and have to be appropriately secured in order to avoid becoming a hazard to other participants in traffic.

Timing Matters
Certain goods are time sensitive and have to be delivered at pre-determined times. Concrete for instance needs to be transported in a timely  manner. Construction sites in city centres are not permitted to operate at night, hence deliveries can only be made during the day. Fresh goods may not reach markets or shops in time.

As an example, a haulier wanting to move a container from Northport to Kuantan may be severely impacted by the ban. Picking up a container could take one hour (as average for 72 percent of jobs, as per AMH). Driving from port to the highways takes around 45 minutes. Getting to the port another 30 minutes. If the driver now has to park on an R&R along the highway to comply with the vehicle ban, three hours of time will be added. Driving to Kuantan could take three hours, which brings the working time to 9.5 hours. After unloading at the client’s place, the driver would turn around, driving back. However, as the added three hours from the ban cut into his working hours, he will not be able to return to base, meaning that he cannot complete “the trip” and would therefore need another day’s time to be eligible for payment for the tour.

Moving the timing may not solve this problem either as unloading at a client’s place will only take place at a certain time. Having the trucker reaching way early only results in the truck being parked, waiting hours to be unloaded. The waiting time would also count as working hours, thus the problem of not being able to complete the trip in one day remains.

Issues Resulting from the Ban as Identified by the Associations

Added Traffic Jams: When avoiding the stretches of highway where trucks are banned, these vehicles could be diverted to other roads. However, that would mean that thousands of vehicles would be spilling into other jammed-up roads, such as the MMR2. This would not only shift the problem, but make it worse in many cases as other roads are already bumper-to-bumper throughout the day. Taking trunk roads would slow down commuters, adding strain to the infrastructure.

Creating Dangerous Situations: Diverting traffic to keep it going may result in volumes of trucks moving on roads where schools, hospitals and other facilities are located. Driving past them are situations that are best avoided. As explained during the press conference, these areas should be avoided by heavy goods vehicles unless necessary.

Higher Cost: Diverting traffic may result in more kilometres driven. More mileage means more fuel consumed, inefficient use of assets and eventually higher cost for service and maintenance. Trucks, as most vehicles, perform best outside stop and go traffic. It is in the interest of the operator to have trucks move at the highest possible / legal speed consistently.

Impact on Environment: More kilometres driven, in combination with trucks idling on parking spaces when waiting out the exclusion times will produce a higher output of CO2. This is contradictory to Malaysia’s effort to reduce harmful emissions.

Nowhere to go: The existing R&R facilities have long been insufficient to cater to the needs of the drivers. When drivers want to rest, the R&Rs are oftentimes fully occupied, forcing the trucker to park outside the designated rest area. Oftentimes, this is the emergency lane at the exit from the R&R. With the vehicle ban, this situation is expected to worsen. This again, creates an unsafe situation, which the association members highlight as being conditions they try to avoid at all costs.

In this connection, the association representatives point out that they just can’t win: if the trucks don’t stop, they get penalised and if they do stop, but have to resort to parking on the emergency lane, they also get summoned. The present representatives pleaded that drivers are humans, having needs for comfort which are currently often not met.

Career Changes: As the drivers may not be able to earn from the trips they make, they may seek alternative jobs. It was reported that many drivers feel bullied by the ever-increasing restrictions, making their job less and less attractive. There is a global shortage of drivers and Malaysia is no exception, having to deal with loss of income for transporters as they cannot service their contracts, due to this lack of qualified drivers.

Final Billing: Eventually, the increased cost resulting from the vehicle bans will have to be charged to end-customers. Transport owners will have to seek ways to compensate for the loss of income. Hence, as was argued in the press conference, the impact will not be limited to the transporters, but have severe repercussions on Malaysia’s economy.

The Backbone of Economy
To put mattes into perspective, there are thousands of trucks more affected, represented through other associations and those that are not members of such organisations. AMH estimates that members of their association alone operate around 10 000 trucks on the roads in the Klang Valley. One should also not forget that trucks are the de facto backbone of the economy. Society has learned this especially during the pandemic, whereby it was the drivers, who were duty-bound to keeping supplies going and ultimately everyone alive. As a regional transportation hub, Malaysia’s ports are now ranked in the top 10 of global ports, moving millions of TEUs.

A Better Way
Acknowledging that there is no problem without a solution, the five associations rallied together to make their case, urging the government to reverse the vehicle ban on highways. Must find better solutions, look at other countries that don’t punish truckers.

It was pointed out that many other countries face similar issues, but are taking a different route. Instead of impairing the transport industry, and with it vast segments of the economy, the solutions are found when looking at alternative ways of moving people. Increased availability of public transport would be one way of managing the volumes of vehicles. Jakarta for instance has found their solution in banning private vehicles from entering the city centre, using number plates to allow drivers only on specific days to use roads inside the capital.

On the Matter of Accidents involving Trucks
While discussing the economic and social impacts of the vehicle ban, the associations however also lauded the intention of the authorities to make road transport safer for everyone on the streets of Malaysia. It was pointed out that the accidents involving trucks account for less than three percent. However, due to the mass of trucks, many accidents end up being severe, thus, the associations acknowledge the intention of authorities to look for safer ways of moving goods.

The ban currently includes stretches of the North-South Express­way (NSE), New Klang Valley Expressway (NKVE), Elite (at the stretch between Shah Alam and Saujana Putra) and the Duta-Ulu Kelang Expressway (DUKE).

The new restriction bars heavy vehicles (Class 2 and 3) from all directions across the four expressways during the peak hours bet­ween 6.30am and 9.30am, and 4.30pm and 7.30pm from Mon­days to Fridays (except public holidays).

However, the restriction does not apply to buses, refuse trucks and vehicles associated with public cleansing, emergency services and highway maintenance.