HÀ NỘI – VinaTrucking, the first Vietnam Transport Trading Floor has been operational for more than five months, but it has failed to meet expectations and attract transporters and freight operators.

According to Tạ Công Thuận, general director of VinaTrucking, some 500 firms and individuals have registered to take part in transactions via the trading floor as of May. Of that number, truck operators make up 334 and freight owners account for 103. VinaTrucking also has more than 50 visiting members. Though firms had registered to conduct 225 transactions, only 40 have realised.

Time-consuming procedures are one of the reasons behind the small number of successful transactions. The director of a transport firm in HCM City said enterprises have to complete a complicated application process before they gain membership and transact on the trading floor.

Another problem is that the management of VinaTrucking has not clarified the charges suggested by freight owners for transport firms to consider.

Thuận said that VinaTrucking has not been performing as well as expected given the fact that there are a higher number of registered truck operators as compared to freight owners. The trading floor is still new and many enterprises are still unaware of it. Besides, freight and truck owners have yet to build mutual trust.

Thuận said it would take more time to encourage businesses to shift from the more traditional way of conducting transactions. Firms are afraid of losing some benefits as the transport charges are not transparent.

To conduct transactions on VinaTrucking, transport enterprises and cargo owners have to register for membership at www.sanvantaiviet.vn . Members can log into the website to see offers or requests, then send their transaction request and proposed charges to their potential partners. Once the request is accepted, the exchange will connect the two parties and suggest an appropriate transaction method.

At present, enterprises can launch membership registrations and conduct transactions on VinaTrucking at no charge. The floor only collects fees from tenders organised to pick transport firms for large volumes of cargo.

Deputy General Director of the Vietnam Road Administration (VRA) Nguyễn Xuân Cường said VinaTrucking had initially been promoted by enhancing transport models. By using this trading floor, transport companies could post their demands for shipping and transport linkages between carriers and freight owners. The purpose of this method was to reduce the number of vehicles which lay idle, minimise intermediary costs, offer transparent freight rates, as well as connect transport models and contribute to minimising traffic accidents.

Bùi Danh Liên chairman of Hà Nội Transport Association, also attributed the problems facing VinaTrucking to the traditional way of conducting transactions. Many transport firms are averse to online transactions.

Trần Quốc Hoàn, director of Global Transport Company Limited said a majority of transactions between freight owners and truck owners was still being conducted in the traditional way. They still want to meet face-to-face or talk on the phone.

Nguyễn Xuân Cường, deputy general director of the Vietnam Road Administration, said that VinaTrucking needed to put cargo on the trading floor. At first, it should implement measures to work with relevant agencies and associations to promote and attract transport firms.

Cường said that over the months the administration has launched various initiatives on how to calculate the list of vehicles, freight owners, volumes, and co-ordinate with transport and logistics associations to introduce VinaTrucking’s operations. – VNS