A measurable result of the increased interest in international road transport was the increased purchase of vehicles prepared for providing such services. As of January 1, 1997, the number of such vehicles did not exceed 20,000 units. It then grew systematically, reaching 32,000 units on January 1, 2003, nearly 45,000 units on May 1, 2004 (the day of EU membership), and subsequently just under 65,000 units on July 1, 2005 (see table no. 1). This means that in eight and a half years, this number increased more than threefold.
Between 1997 and 2002, the annual increase in the number of permits and, consequently, vehicles adapted for international road transport was a few percent, not exceeding 8.5%. However, just before joining the EU and immediately after accession, there was a significant increase in the number of licenses. A particular increase was recorded between January 1, 2004, and January 1, 2005, when the number of permits/vehicles increased by as much as 45.2%. The vast majority of these vehicles were brand new, and therefore
a greater increase was recorded in the category of 2-axle tractor units, most commonly used in international transport. Here, some corporations supplying vehicles of this type recorded an increase in deliveries of over 100 percent. Nevertheless,
in addition to brand-new rolling stock, used cars imported from the West were also very popular. According to various estimates, over 10,000 of them were imported, and they were generally purchased by smaller companies, often sole proprietorships. These increased purchases, whether of new or used equipment, were facilitated by, among other things: the reduction of truck prices by Western corporations, the real appreciation of the zloty, and a more lenient approach by financial institutions regarding purchase facilities.
The article comes from the magazine “Logistyka” 6/2006.