Small and medium-sized motorised vehicles are manoeuvrable in narrow roads and dense settlements, fast if road conditions and traffic permit and have significant payloads. As a result, they fill the gap between low-tech transport modes (such as manual C.1 and animal C.2 transport) and more complex, costly and less manoeuvrable large, motorised waste transport C.4.

Design Considerations

Small and medium-sized motorised vehicles must suit local conditions such as accessibility, waste quantities, transport distances and the availability of fuel. Their availability locally must be considered. Vehicles that are commonly available and widely used may be better adapted to local conditions such as the climate and road quality. Furthermore, maintenance and repair services for local vehicle types are more likely than for imported vehicles. If vehicles for waste transportation are not readily available, locally used transport or agricultural vehicles can be customised. Additionally, small and medium-sized vehicles can be adapted with integrated storage compartments, and they can be used to move containers or pull trailers. As with all transport modes, loading and unloading must limit the exposure of operators to waste and be as easy and fast as possible.

Materials

Waste storage compartments must be resistant to the potentially corrosive nature of waste. Especially in bigger or closed compartments, cleaning can be a challenge, increasing the risk of corrosion. Vehicles are likely to be exposed to difficult road conditions; frequent stops during collection routes add to wear and tear. In humanitarian settings, with often limited means for maintenance and repair, the selection of simple, sturdy and long-lasting vehicles and engines is recommended.

Applicability

Small and medium-sized motorised vehicles are ideal for primary collection as they can be used on both narrow and big roads. They can travel relatively fast even on poor-quality narrow roads. Their use in humanitarian settings must be thoroughly assessed as more basic transport types, such as manual C.1 or animal transport C.2, do not consume fuel, might be less costly and require less effort for vehicle maintenance. Particularly if locally available and context-adapted vehicles are used, these vehicles may be applicable during all intervention phases, from acute emergencies to protracted and development contexts. Key conditions for their successful use are the availability of local vehicle repair and maintenance, continuous fuel supply and adequate road conditions.

Operation and Maintenance

Waste collection using small and medium-sized vehicles requires detailed route planning to ensure that vehicles are productive and to justify higher operational costs from fuel consumption and vehicle maintenance. The planning of routes should aim to avoid potential traffic jams and ensure that all service recipients are served as needed based on their waste generation. Maintenance, repair and fuel availability must be ensured at all times. Drivers should be well-informed about collection and transport routes and trained on safe and low-wear driving. During trips, drivers must be able to carry out minor technical troubleshooting in case of engine or vehicle failure.

Health and Safety

Waste loss during journeys must be prevented with, for example, closable transport compartments, tarpaulins or nets, especially on longer trips at higher speeds. For longer journeys, crew accommodation on vehicles should be considered. Riding on waste must be avoided. The loading height must not be above the workers’ shoulder height and vehicle payloads must not be exceeded. The reversing of vehicles must be avoided whenever possible or assisted by waste operators. Operators are required to wear personal protective equipment and be trained in correct waste handling and other occupational health and safety measures X.4.

Costs

The cost of small and medium-sized motorised transport greatly depends on the vehicle selected. Selecting locally available, context-adapted and sturdy vehicles minimises costs. Capital costs include the initial investment and the replacement costs once the equipment or entire vehicle reaches its end-of-life. The capital costs of small and medium-sized motorised vehicles might be much lower than large trucks but are still significantly higher than manual or animal transport. Operational costs include the salaries of drivers and operators, vehicle maintenance and repair and fuel. Operational costs for smaller vehicles can be reduced if the waste collection interface with storage, transfer or disposal sites is efficient and vehicle productivity is high.

Social Considerations

Communities need to be well-informed about collection times, especially for the collection of waste from households. Motorised transport requires skilled drivers, who might be in short supply or difficult to recruit if they are unfamiliar with the selected vehicles.