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Performance and Monitoring of the Selected Bhutan’s Trade Corridors Trade and Transport Facilitation Monitoring Mechanism in Bhutan: Baseline study series #6

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Page 1: Bhutan’s Trade Corridors - United Nations ESCAP Bhutan TTFMM 6_1.pdf · Bhutan’s Trade Corridors Trade and ... and recommendations for removing bottlenecks and simplifying trade

Performance and

Monitoring of the Selected

Bhutan’s Trade Corridors

Trade and Transport Facilitation

Monitoring Mechanism in Bhutan:

Baseline study series #6

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The United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) is the regional

development arm of the United Nations and serves as the main economic and social development centre

for the United Nations in Asia and the Pacific. Its mandate is to foster cooperation between its 53

members and 9 associate members. ESCAP provides the strategic link between global and country-level

programmes and issues. It supports Governments of countries in the region in consolidating regional

positions and advocates regional approaches to meeting the region’s unique socioeconomic challenges in

a globalizing world. The ESCAP secretariat is in Bangkok. Please visit the ESCAP website at

<www.unescap.org> for further information.

The darker areas of the map are ESCAP members and associate members.

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Performance and Monitoring of the Selected Bhutan’s Trade

Corridors

The 6th report of a series of 6 studies on Trade and Transport Facilitation

Monitoring Mechanism (TTFMM) in Bhutan

Copyright © United Nations 2017

June 2017, Bangkok, Thailand

Disclaimers

All rights reserved. The opinions, figures and estimates set forth in this publication are the responsibility

of the authors and should not be considered as reflecting the views of carrying the endorsement of the

United Nations or the Asian Development Bank. Any errors are the responsibility of the authors.

Mention of firms’ names and commercial products does not imply the endorsement of the United Nations

or the Asian Development Bank.

The designations employed and the presentation of the material in this publication do not imply the

expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Secretariat of the United Nations or the Asian

Development Bank concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area, or of its authorities,

or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. Where the designation “country” or “area”

appears, it covers countries, territories, cities or areas.

References to dollars ($) are to United States dollars unless otherwise stated.

Bibliographical and other references have, wherever possible, been verified. The United Nations and the

Asian Development Bank bear no responsibility for the availability or functioning of URLs.

All the material in this publication may be freely quoted or reprinted, but acknowledgement is required,

and a copy of the publication containing the quotation of reprint should be sent to the United Nations

Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) Publications Office.

The use of this publication for any commercial purposes, including resale, is prohibited unless permission

is first obtained from ESCAP and the Asian Development Bank. Requests for permission should state the

purpose and the extent of reproduction.

This publication has been issued without formal editing.

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Contents

PREFACE ...................................................................................................................................... iv

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ............................................................................................................ v

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ........................................................................................................... vi

Chapter 1. Introduction ................................................................................................................... 7

1.1 Background of the TTFMM baseline study in Bhutan .......................................................................7

1.2 Introduction to the Corridors under study ..........................................................................................8

1.3 Specific scope of the study .................................................................................................................8

Chapter 2. Methodology and data collection .................................................................................. 9

2.1 Overview of Time-Cost-Distance and CAREC Corridor Performance Measurement and

Monitoring methodology ..........................................................................................................................9

2.2 Data Collection .................................................................................................................................10

Chapter 3. Analysis and findings .................................................................................................. 12

3.1 Key Performance Indicators .............................................................................................................12

3.1.1 Performance along the Kolkata - Phuentsholing corridor .........................................................12

3.1.2 Performance along the Burimari - Phuentsholing corridor .......................................................16

3.2 Bottlenecks and Solutions ................................................................................................................17

Chapter 4. Discussion and conclusion .......................................................................................... 19

4.1 Discussion: Challenges and Opportunities for Enhancing Performance of the Corridors ................19

4.2 Originality and contribution of the study ..........................................................................................20

4.3 Further work .....................................................................................................................................20

Appendixes ................................................................................................................................... 22

Appendix 1. List of participants of workshops for the TTFMM baseline study in Bhutan ....................22

Appendix 2. CPMM data collection form ..............................................................................................31

Appendix 3. Instructions on how to fill out the CPMM data collection form ........................................32

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List of Tables

Table 1 Time frame for implementing TTFMM baseline study .................................................................11

List of Figures

Figure 1 Evolution of CPMM .....................................................................................................................10

Figure 2. Average Speed along the Kolkata–Phuentsholing Corridor (km/h) ............................................12

Figure 3 breakdown of journey time along the Kolkata- Phuentsholing corridor ......................................13

Figure 4 Time-distance charts for different journeys along the Kolkata- Phuentsholing corridor .............14

Figure 5 Average speed along the Burimari - Phuentsholing corridor .......................................................16

Figure 6 Time-distance charts for a typical journey along the Burimari - Phuentsholing corridor ............17

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PREFACE

In the process of undertaking the baseline study of Trade and Transport Facilitation Monitoring

Mechanism (TTFMM) in Bhutan, six studies are carried out to provide multiple facets of trade and

transport facilitation covering export and import of specific products, corridors and border crossings. A

synthesis report is also produced based on five study reports.

The current report is focused on performance and monitoring of two corridors Kolkata –

Phuentsholing and Burimari - Phuentsholing. It is a stand-alone document itself and the 6th report of a

series of 6 studies on TTFMM in Bhutan. It feeds the TTFMM synthesis report. As such, it needs to be

read along with other reports to fully understand the background, key findings and conclusions of the

TTFMM baseline study.

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

In conducting the studies and preparing this report, great support was received from the host

country which was essential for completion of the study. Guidance from Mr. Yonten Namgyel, Director,

Department of Revenue and Custom and Member Secretary of National Trade and Transport Facilitation

Committee (NTTFC) was vital for completing the study.

The report was prepared by Tengfei Wang. Data were collected by Tshering Choden and Sara

Sunwar in cooperation with Achyut Bhandari, ADB national consultant. Deki Gyamtsho also contributed

substantially to data collection. Josiah Littlehales, Vyonna Bondi and Elena Kirova substantially

contributed to data input and analysis during their internship at UNESCAP.

The report constitutes part of the TTFMM baseline study which was managed by Tengfei Wang

from ESCAP and Aileen Pangilinan from ADB under the guidance of Yann Duval and Ronald Antonio

Q. Butiong. Tanya E. Marin, Linel Ann Reyes-Tayag, and Alona Mae Agustin from ADB provided

support for the logistical arrangement of the workshops.

Participants of the various workshops under the project, as detailed in Appendix 1, substantially

contributed their expertise to enhance the quality of the project. Sonam Dema played a crucial role for

organizing the TTFMM national validation workshop on 3-4 August 2016 in Thimphu, Bhutan1.

Fedor Kormilitsyn from ESCAP delivered training on Time-Cost-Distance (TCD) method at the

national workshop on TTFMM held in Phuentsholing, Bhutan on 10-14 March 2014. His guidance on

application of TCD is gratefully acknowledged. Jeff Procak and Ying Qian from ADB shared toolkits and

experience on conducting Corridor Performance Measurement and Monitoring (CPMM) in Central Asia

which provides important reference for carrying out similar studies in Bangladesh.

The TTFMM baseline study is funded under both ADB’s Technical Assistance Special Fund and

the Japan Fund for Poverty Reduction.

1 http://sasec.asia/index.php?page=event&eid=213&url=bgd-ttfmm-validation

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The current report is focused on performance and monitoring of two corridors Kolkata –

Phuentsholing and Burimari - Phuentsholing. The study analyzes the average speed along the corridor

and identifies key bottlenecks. The key methodology for study is the CAREC’s Corridor Performance

Measurement and Monitoring (CPMM) method. The time-distance graphs according to the Time-Cost-

Distance method developed by ESCAP were also prepared.

The report finds that the average speed along the corridor under study is very low. For example,

average speed with delays is 9 kilometers per hour (km/h) and without delays is 15 km/h along Kolkata–

Phuentsholing corridor. Similarly, the study reveals that average speed with delays is about 5 km/h and

without delays is 16 km/h along Burimari–Phuentsholing corridor. Such speed is much lower than the

average speed surveyed in Central Asia, highlighting that both transport infrastructure and vehicles

remain a challenge for efficient transport along the corridor.

Such challenges also mean tremendous opportunities for improvement. The report shows that if a

vehicle along the SASEC corridor can travel at 30 km/h from Kolkata to Phuentsholing, which is still low

compared with the average speed along CAREC corridors, on average potentially 67 hours of journey

time, or approximately two thirds of the journey time, can be saved.

In light of the BBIN Motor Vehicle Agreement, this also raises the issue of the importance of

continuous and effective monitoring of the corridor. The current study provides baseline data for the

corridor. It is useful to observe whether trade and transport performance along the corridor improve over

time. Such monitoring will serve as a useful tool to test the effectiveness of BBIN MVA for enhancing

trade and transport efficiency in South Asia.

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Chapter 1. Introduction

1.1 Background of the TTFMM baseline study in Bhutan

The TTFMM baseline study in Bhutan was conducted as part of a broad initiative to establish

sustainable trade and transport facilitation monitoring mechanisms (TTFMM) in the country in the

long term. The TTFMM project covers not only Bhutan but also Bangladesh and Nepal under the

South Asia Sub-regional Economic Cooperation (SASEC) Program. In particular, the TTFMM

baseline study aims to:

1) Explain the rationale for establishing TTFMM and key methodology for data collection and

analysis.

2) Provide a set of indicators and underlying data on trade and transport facilitation performance

in Bhutan. Such baseline data will ensure that the progress or setbacks in trade facilitation

performance in the country can be benchmarked.

3) Diagnose key bottlenecks and recommendations for removing bottlenecks and simplifying

trade procedures. In this respect, the study provides policy recommendations to policy makers

and stakeholders.

4) Propose a way forward to maintain the sustainability of TTFMM. Sustainability is at the core

of the design of TTFMM. In this respect, this report provides specific recommendations on

how to maintain sustainability of TTFMM including institutional arrangement, data collection

and analysis, and best way to utilize the study output.

The scope of the baseline studies of TTFMM was decided through a series of regional and

national training workshops held in Bangkok, Thailand in November 2013, in Phuentsholing, Bhutan

in April, 2014, Wuhan, China in October 2015 and in Bangkok, Thailand in January 2016. A wide

range of stakeholders were consulted in this process, as shown in the lists of participants of different

meetings in Appendix 1. After extensive exercise and discussion with the relevant stakeholders, it

was agreed that the TTFMM baseline study in Bhutan would cover the following processes, products

and trade routes and corridors:

(i) Import of kitchen and table wares of plastics (melamine products) from Bangladesh

to Bhutan through Burimari- Changrabandha- Jaigaon- Phuentsholing- Thimphu;

(ii) Import of light motor vehicles (LMVs) from countries outside South Asia via the

Indian port of Kolkata;

(iii) Export of Cardamom from Bhutan to Bangladesh via Phuentsholing–Jaigaon–

Changrabandha-Burimari; and

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(iv) Export of ferro silicon from Bhutan to countries outside South Asia (Europe or USA).

More specifically, it was decided that the Business Process analysis (BPA) would cover all

the above-mentioned products and corridors, Time Release Study (TRS) would cover border crossings

at Phuentsholing for both exports and imports and Time-Cost-Distance (TCD) /Corridor Performance

Measurement and Monitoring (CPMM) would cover the corridors from Kolkata to

Phuentsholing/Thimphu and Burimari to Phuentsholing/Thimphu.

1.2 Introduction to the Corridors under study

Both corridors covered by the study are strategically important for Bhutan and the region. The

corridor Kolkata – Phuentsholing is crucial for conducting international trade between Bhutan and

third countries. All goods originated from the third countries, except by air, have to enter Bhutan

through Kolkata – Phuentsholing corridor. Kolkata – Phuentsholing is a part of South Asia

Subregional Economic Cooperation (SASEC) corridor 3.

The corridor Dhaka - Burimari - Changrabandha - Burimari – Jaigaon - Phuentsholing –

Thimphu (the SARRC Corridor 8) connect Bangladesh with Bhutan via India. It is the principal trade

route for Bangladesh-Bhutan bilateral trade. The transit distance of this corridor in in India

(Changrabandha to Jaigaon) is 115 km.

1.3 Specific scope of the study

The Report is focused on performance and monitoring of two corridors Kolkata –

Phuentsholing and Burimari - Phuentsholing. The study analyzes the average speed, travel time and

costs along the corridor. It is a stand-alone document itself and the 6th report of a series of 5 studies

that feeds the synthesis report. As such, it needs to be read along with other reports to fully understand

the background, key findings and conclusions of the TTFMM baseline study.

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Chapter 2. Methodology and data collection

2.1 Overview of Time-Cost-Distance and CAREC Corridor Performance

Measurement and Monitoring methodology

Time-Cost-Distance methodology was developed by UNESCAP to assist decision makers in

understanding the pattern and magnitude of time and cost involved in the transportation process and

identify, isolate and address physical and non-physical obstacles. The output is a visual representation

of the transport process from origin to destination, which plots distance (x-axis) against either

cumulative time or cumulative cost (y-axis).

The "Time/Cost-Distance Methodology" (T/C-D) has the following functions and features.

­ Provides a graphical representation of cost and time data associated with transport

processes;

­ Can help identify inefficiencies and isolate bottlenecks along a particular route by looking

at the cost and time characteristics of every section along a transport route;

­ Includes a detailed breakdown of cost and time spent;

­ Enables policy makers to compare the changes of cost and/or time required for

transportation on a certain route over a period of time; and

­ Helps evaluate competing modes of transport operating on the same route and assess

alternative transport routes.2.

TCD has been applied by ADB and evolved to be the so-called Corridor Performance

Measurement and Monitoring (CPMM) method3, as shown in Figure 1. As CPMM has been widely

used in Central Asia, it is adopted by the current TTFMM baseline study. In the meantime, the

graphic representation of time-distance chart recommended by TCD is also adopted in this report.

2 More information is available at < http://www.unescap.org/resources/timecost-distance-methodology>. 3 Detailed discussion is available at <https://www.adb.org/sites/default/files/publication/148731/carec-

cpmm-forward-looking-retrospective.pdf>.

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Figure 1 Evolution of CPMM

Source: Asian Development Bank, https://www.adb.org/sites/default/files/publication/148731/carec-

cpmm-forward-looking-retrospective.pdf

According to the CAREC, CPMM methodology used two measures of speed: speed without

delay (SWOD) and speed with delay (SWD). SWOD is the ratio of the distance travelled to the time

spent by a vehicle in motion between origin and destination (actual traveling time). SWD is the ratio

of distance travelled to the total time spent on the journey, including the time the vehicle was in

motion and the time it was stationary. These two indicators are included in the study.

2.2 Data Collection

Time frame for implementing TTFMM baseline study in Bhutan including the TRS studies is

shown in Table 1. It took approximately 14 months to complete the baseline study. The key activities

are highlighted below.

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Table 1 Time frame for implementing TTFMM baseline study

2015 2016

10 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

Sub-regional meeting to plan the

baseline study in Wuhan, China

Workshop to finalize the plan of the

baseline study in Bangkok, Thailand

Data collection on BPA

Data collection on TRS

Data collection on TCD/CPMM

TTFMM database, analysis and draft

report

National results validation meeting

Refine TTFMM data and analysis,

and finalize study report

Data collection on CPMM

A data collection form was designed based on the ADB CPMM approach, as shown in

Appendix 2. Further, explanation of the data collection forms (as shown in Appendix 3) is provided

to the trucking and transport companies in charge of collecting data.

Data collection was carried out during May-September 2016. Overall 49 samples were

collected for the corridor Kolkata–Phuentsholing. However, only 10 samples were included for

analysis as the remaining forms were either not correctly filled out or incomplete. This conclusively

highlights the issues around the difficulty in collecting reliable data for analysis.

For the Burimari- Phuentsholing corridor, data was collected during May-July 2016. Initially,

it was planned that data related to the corridor connecting Burimari-Thimphu would be collected.

However, the study team soon realised that many vehicles from India stopped in Phuentsholing.

Additionally, the cargoes were often transported by Bangladeshi and Indian vehicles in Bangladesh

and India, respectively, making it difficult to collect data along the whole corridor. In total, 25

samples were collected. After data validation, it was found that 17 samples had valid data for analysis.

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Chapter 3. Analysis and findings

3.1 Key Performance Indicators

3.1.1 Performance along the Kolkata - Phuentsholing corridor

As discussed in detail in Chapter 2, the Corridor Performance Measurement and Monitoring

(CPMM) method is adopted in this report to calculate speed without delay (SWOD) and speed with

delay (SWD). SWOD is the ratio of the distance travelled to the time spent by a vehicle in motion

between origin and destination (actual traveling time). SWD is the ratio of distance travelled to the

total time spent on the journey, including the time the vehicle was in motion and the time it was

stationary.

As shown in Figure 2, the average speed along the corridors is strikingly low. SWOD and

SWD amount to 9km/h and 15km/h, respectively. This highlights the level of challenge for

developing efficient logistics along the corridor.

Figure 2. Average Speed along the Kolkata–Phuentsholing Corridor (km/h)

km/h = kilometer per hour, S = sample.

Source: Prepared by the project team.

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Figure 3 shows the total travel, rest and delay time. It shows that, on average, the total journey

time including travel, rest and delay time is approximately 98 hours which includes total travel time

across samples amounting to 59 hours, or approximately 60% of the journey time. Total rest time

across the samples amounts to approximately 22 hours, or 22% of the journey time. Total delay time

amounts to 17 hours, or 17% of the total journey time.

Figure 3 breakdown of journey time along the Kolkata- Phuentsholing corridor

S = sample.

Source: Prepared by the project team.

The time-distance graphs (figures 3) show more detail on vehicle movement along the

corridor. Figure 4 indicates that, in the scenario that 1) a vehicle travels along the corridor at a speed

of 30 km/h; 2) the total time for the driver to sleep and rest is 20% of the total journey time; and 3) all

unnecessary delays are removed, as indicated by the “Scenario” in the figure, the journey takes on

average 32 hours, compared with the average 99 hours according to the samples collected. In other

words, on average potentially 67 hours of journey time, or approximately two thirds of the journey

time, can be saved.

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Figure 4 Time-distance charts for different journeys along the Kolkata- Phuentsholing corridor

Sample 2

Sample 3

0

50

100

150

200

0 200 400 600 800 1000

Cumulative time Scenario

Sample 4

Sample 6

Sample 8

Sample 9

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Figure 4. Continued

Sample 10

Sample 11

Sample 13

Sample 14

As far as the costs are concerned, this study only covers the journey costs incurred during

stops of the journey such as customs inspection, tolls and other inspections. Such costs can be treated

as external costs for transport and logistics companies. The total fee for toll road is about 700 to 900

Rupees (or US$ 10 -13) according to the results from the interviews with the drivers, supplemented by

some available hard evidence (such as receipt from toll road). Some anecdotal evidence suggests that

informal fees may constitute a large amount of total journey fees. Initially the study also planned to

study the costs of informal payments. However, given the sensitivity of such data, it was simply

impossible to get accurate data for analysis.

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3.1.2 Performance along the Burimari - Phuentsholing corridor

As shown in Figure 5, average speed along the Burimari - Phuentsholing corridors is low.

Average speeds “with” and “without” delays are approximately 5km/h and 16km/h, respectively. This

highlights the fact that both transport infrastructure and vehicles remain a challenge for efficient

transport along the corridor.

Figure 5 Average speed along the Burimari - Phuentsholing corridor

km/h = kilometer per hour, S = sample

Source: Prepared by the project team.

Figure 6 shows the average journey time vis-à-vis a scenario whereby the vehicle travels at 30

km/h without delays. It shows that on average, 21 hours of journey time can be reduced if the vehicle

can travel at 30 km/h without any delays along the corridor.

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Figure 6 Time-distance charts for a typical journey along the Burimari - Phuentsholing corridor

As far as costs are concerned, on average, nearly 2,000 Indian Rupees (or approximately US$

30) are required for the 5 stops encountered on the Burimari to Phuentsholing journey.

3.2 Bottlenecks and Solutions

Analysis of the data collected utilizing the CPMM method, along with discussion with

the drivers, customs brokers and freight forwarders, reveals the key common bottlenecks

along the two corridors under study. The following was observed:

• Multiple stops: Data from CPMM shows on average, a vehicle needs to stop about 10

times during the journey from Kolkata to Phuentsholing and about 5 times from

Burimari to Phuentsholing. Reasons for stop include inspections in India, queuing at border

crossings and some key junctions, rest and accommodation. In some cases, the heavy vehicles

are only allowed to drive on the road at nights.

• Unofficial payments: data in this respect are extremely scarce and unreliable; therefore,

conclusions in this respect are tentative. Nevertheless, according to anecdotal evidence and

discussions with drivers, it was found that unofficial payments along the corridors took place.

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To remove the bottlenecks along the corridors, the following aspects need to be

reviewed by policy makers and other stakeholders.

• Unnecessary inspections should be eliminated. Some inspections along the corridors

are necessary and valid. For instance, it is essential to check the travel documents and,

in some cases, to inspect the goods carried in vehicle. However, repetitive and

unnecessary inspections should be eliminated.

• Enhance the transport infrastructure. Improvement of the transport infrastructure often

requires large investments. ADB, through its SASEC programme, has been playing an

important role for enhancing transport infrastructure in the region. Partnership among

India and Bhutan, as well as development partners and donors should continue to pool

resources to enhance transport infrastructure along the road.

• Enhance the quality of vehicles. Whenever possible, containerised vehicles should be

utilised. As the containers are sealed in Kolkata and the seals are removed in

Phuentsholing, the cargoes inside containers should not be inspected during the

journey, which can greatly save travel time.

• Transport and logistics service providers may introduce best practice and enhance

professionalism of the drivers. Interviews with the drivers and trucking companies

reveal that often, there is only one driver for a vehicle. Driving for the long journey

may cause fatigue. In some cases, the driver may prefer to stay in some hotels or in

the homes of their relatives or acquaintances which may cause delays. The transport

and logistics companies need to find ways to ensure the drivers are deployed in an

optimal manner, which will lead to road safety and enhance transport efficiency.

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Chapter 4. Discussion and conclusion

4.1 Discussion: Challenges and Opportunities for Enhancing Performance of the

Corridors

According to report from ADB CAREC Programme4, most trucks move at an average speed

between 30-40 km/h. In some cases, trucks can move over 50 km/h.

As discussed in this report, if a vehicle along the SASEC corridor can travel at 30 km/h from

Kolkata to Phuentsholing, which is still low compared with the average speed along CAREC

corridors, on average potentially 67 hours of journey time, or approximately two thirds of the journey

time, can be saved. This shows the challenges for developing efficient transport and trade logistics

along the SASEC corridors.

Overcoming such challenges is certainly not insurmountable. Improving transport

infrastructure and the quality of the vehicle are certainly vital but may require increased financing and

investment, and in some cases, may also need a longer period for materialization.

To reduce unnecessary delays and inspections would immediately reduce journey time and

increase average speed along the journey. Furthermore, such unnecessary delays would no doubt slow

down the speed of vehicles. An analogy is that a blocked pipe definitely slows down the flow of

water.

To achieve such a target, support from the transit country India is crucial. Transport and

logistics service providers can certainly play an active role as well. By enhancing the quality of

vehicles and abiding by the local laws and regulations (for instance, no overloading), the chance to be

inspected may also be lowered.

The study reveals that official costs along the corridors are very low. When the study teams

held meetings with different stakeholders, anecdotal evidence suggests that unofficial costs can be

high. The study team initially planned to gather information on unofficial costs following the same

method adopted in CAREC. However, given the sensitivity of the issues, it turned out to be

impossible to collect such information. More innovative and feasible solutions need to be identified to

investigate this issue.

4 http://cfcfa.net/images/downloads/CPMM_AR20_15_%20ENG.pdf

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This also raises an issue on the importance of continuous and effective monitoring of the

corridor. The current study provides baseline data for the corridor. It is useful to observe whether

trade and transport performance along the corridor improves over time.

4.2 Originality and contribution of the study

The Report finds that the average speed along the corridors under study were very low. This

may not sound totally new for some experts, logistics service providers and policy makers. However,

the contribution of the study cannot be underestimated. It is probably the first time that raw data is

collected to record vehicle movements along the corridors. The quantitative indicators derived from

the study provide more precise measurements of corridor performance and reflects the real challenge

and urgency for improving logistics efficiency along the corridor.

Bearing in mind that the current study is part of the baseline study of Trade and Transport

Facilitation Monitoring Mechanism (TTFMM), the indicators produced in this study provide a

fundamental benchmark for monitoring the performance of corridor over time. In other words, policy

makers, practitioners and other stakeholders may start monitoring the average speed and other

indicators along the corridors over time and observe whether the performance is improved or

deteriorated.

This study is meaningful and timely in light of the BBIN Motor Vehicle Agreement. No

doubt, one of the key objectives of BBIN Motor Vehicle Agreement is to enhance the efficiency of

logistics and transport along the corridor. The Report presents both the challenges and enormous

opportunities for enhancing transport efficiency along the BBIN corridors. On the one hand, as

mentioned earlier, the current average speed of vehicle movement along the corridor is very low. On

the other hand, if the average speed can be improved to 30 km/h, on average, 44-50 per cent of the

transport time can be reduced. Policy makers and other stakeholders should treat this as encouraging

news because once the measures to streamline the trade and transport process are put in place,

substantial improvement in transport along the corridors can be expected.

4.3 Further work

When similar studies are carried out in the future, three areas can be further strengthened.

First, future studies, whenever possible, should cover the whole corridor including the border crossing

points. The current study was initially aimed to collect data along the whole corridor. However, this

turned out to be extremely difficult due to the current transport, warehousing and border crossing

process. Using export from Bangladesh to Bhutan as an example, transport is carried out by

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Bangladesh trucking companies within Bangladesh, and the cargo is unloaded to the warehouse near

the border between Bangladesh and India. The agencies of traders from Bangladesh and Bhutan

further coordinate transport from Burimari, Bangladesh to Phuentsholing, Bhutan. Often a truck

owned by an Indian transport company is hired to execute transport. Due to the large number of actors

in the process such as the Bangladesh trucking company, the Indian trucking company, the

warehousing company and the agencies, it is very difficult to manage a data collection questionnaire

covering the whole corridor.

Second, the sample for the study in the future should be enlarged. In the process of data

collection for the current study, the study team experienced tremendous difficulty in data collection.

For instance, some drivers were not able to write or record data correctly. Some drivers were reluctant

to report the real data. The study team spent significant time and efforts analysing and verifying data.

Some data with errors were excluded for final analysis.

Third, the study team should explore alternative methods of collecting data instead of using

the drivers only. For instance, data could be recorded by designated persons at pre-determined

locations or stops along the route. In the light of the reasons given above about drivers’ hesitation to

record the data for various reasons, it would be prudent to try alternative methods for the sake of more

reliable data and for comparison purposes.

Challenges for data collection in these respects are huge but not insurmountable. The key

issue is that political will and support from all governments along the corridor needs to be available.

This can be translated into effective action and cooperation by logistics and transport operators to

collect data.

An innovative approach should be explored to collect data. For instance, some data may be

stored in a computer system which should be used to the maximum level. The increasingly popular

smartphone in developing countries including the countries along the corridors in South Asia may

help capture the movement of vehicles.

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Appendixes

Appendix 1. List of participants of workshops for the TTFMM baseline study

in Bhutan

A1. Inception Workshop on Trade and Transport Facilitation Performance Monitoring

26-27 November 2013

Bangkok, Thailand

GOVERNMENT OF BANGLADESH

Mr. Sultan MD Iqbal

Member (Customs Intelligence & Audit)

National Board of Revenue, Dhaka

Mr. Nasir Arif Mahmud

Joint Secretary

Ministry of Shipping

Mr. AKM Akhter Hossain

President

Chittagong Customs Clearing & Forwarding

Agents

Association, Agrabad, C/A

Mr. M. Nurul Amin

Deputy Director (CM)

Bangladesh Standard Testing Institute (BSTI)

Mr. AHM Ahsan

Trade Consultant (Deputy Secretary)

Ministry of Commerce

Mr. Afsarul Arifeen

Additional Secretary

The Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of

Commerce and Industry (FBCCI)

GOVERNMENT OF BHUTAN

Mr. Choiten Wangchuk

Director General, Department of Public Accounts

Ministry of Finance

Mr. Sonam Wangchuk

Director, Department of Trade

Ministry of Economic Affairs

Mr. Choyzang Tashi

Director, Department of Revenue and Customs

Ministry of Finance

Mr. Karma Dorji

Executive Director, Bhutan Agriculture and Food

Regulatory Authority (BAFRA)

Ministry of Agriculture and Forests

Mr. Palden Dorjee

General Manager

Forwarders and Clearing Agent

Mr. Sonam Dorji

Business Promotion Officer

Bhutan Chamber of Commerce and Industry

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

Mr. Devendra Kumar Singh

Additional Director General of Foreign Trade

Directorate General of Foreign Trade

Ministry of Commerce and Industry

Mr. Sunil Kumar Das

Commissioner of Customs

Office of the Commissioner of Customs

Mr. N. Venkatesh

Additional Director General

Systems Directorate

Mr. Prabir De

Senior Fellow

Research and Information System for

Developing Countries (RIS), and

ASEAN-India Centre

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GOVERNMENT OF NEPAL

Mr. Navaraj Dhakal

Under Secretary

Ministry of Commerce and Supplies

Mr. Damber Bahadur Karki

Under Secretary

Ministry of Physical Planning and Transport

Mr. Rajan Sharma

President

Nepal Freight Forwarders Association (NEFFA)

Mr. Sarad Bickram Rana

Executive Director

Nepal Intermodal Transport Development Board

WORLD CUSTOMS ORGANIZATION

ASIA PACIFIC REGIONAL OFFICE

FOR CAPACITY BUILDING (ROCB A/P)

Mr. Yoshihiro Kosaka

Head

WCO (ROCB A/P)

Mr. Sekhar Bonu

Director

SARC, South Asia Regional Department

[email protected]

Mr. Lawanya Kumar Dhakal,

Director

Department of Customs

Mr. Parashu Ram Adhikari

Senior Plant Protection Officer

Ministry of Agriculture and Development

RESOURCE PERSONS

Mr. Takashi Matsumoto

External Relations Coordinator

Office of the Secretary General

World Customs Organization

Ms. Pavaran Tanmesin

Director

Krabi Customs House

Mr. Sanghyup Lee

Director

Clearance Facilitation Section

Seoul Main Customs

Republic of Korea

ASIAN DEVELOPMENT BANK (ADB)

Mr. Ronald Antonio Butiong

Principal Regional Cooperation Specialist

SARC, South Asia Regional Department

Mr. Cuong Minh Nguyen

Senior Economist (Regional Cooperation)

SARC, South Asia Regional Department

Ms. Rosalind McKenzie

Regional Cooperation Specialist

SARC, South Asia Regional Department

Ms. Aileen Pangilinan

Associate Programs Officer

SARC, South Asia Regional Department

Mr. Jesusito Tranquilino

Regional Cooperation and Integration Expert

SARC, South Asia Regional Department

Ms. Linel Ann Reyes-Tayag

Operations Assistant

SARC, South Asia Regional Department

Mohammad Ehteshmaul Hoque

National Trade Facilitation Expert-Bangladesh

SARC, South Asia Regional Department

Achyut Bhandari

National Trade Facilitation Expert-Bhutan

SARC, South Asia Regional Department

Shyam Dahal

National Trade Facilitation Expert-Nepal

SARC, South Asia Regional Department

UNESCAP

Mr. Yann Duval

Chief, Trade Facilitation Unit

Trade and Investment Division

Mr. Tengfei Wang

Economic Affairs Officer

Trade Facilitation Unit

Trade and Investment Division

Mr. Fedor Kormilitsyn

Economic Affairs Officer

Transport Division

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A2. National Workshop on Trade and Transport Facilitation Monitoring Mechanism

Phuentsholing, Bhutan, 10-14 March 2014

Mr. Yonten Namgyel

DIRECTOR (Member Secretary of NTFC), DRC,

Thimphu

Mr. Tenzin Norbu

COLLECTOR, Customs & Excise, DRC HQ,

Thimphu

Mr. Phuntsho Wangdi

Joint Collector, PMU-STF Unit, Customs &

Excise, DRC HQ, Thimphu

Mr. Sonam Penjor

Dy. Chief ICT Officer, ICT Division, DRC HQ,

Thimphu

Mr. Karma

Sr. ICT Officer, ICT Division, DRC HQ, Thimphu

Mr. Tshewang Dendup

Asst. ICT Officer, ICT Division, DRC HQ,

Thimphu

Mrs. Sangay Choden

Revenue Officer (DRC Statistician), Revenue

Accounts & Audit Division, DRC HQ, Thimphu

Mr. Phuntsho Dorji

Deputy Collector, NTFC Secretariat & PMU-STF

Unit, Customs & Excise, DRC HQ, Thimphu

Mr. Sonam Gyeltshen

Office Assistant, DRC HQ, Thimphu

Mr. Ugyen Namgyel

REGIONAL DIRECTOR, RRCO Phuentsholing

Mr. Tandin Wangchen

Deputy Collector, Customs & Excise, RRCO

Phuentsholing

Mr. Ugyen Thinley

Assistant Collector, Customs & Excise, RRCO

Phuentsholing

Ms. Dawa Lham

Asst. Customs Officer, Customs & Excise, RRCO

Phuentsholing

Mr. Darjay

Asst. Customs Officer, Customs & Excise, RRCO

Phuentsholing

Mr. Sonam Dorji, Joint Collector RRCO

SJhongkhar

Mrs. Deki Gyamtsho

Assistant Collector, RRCO Paro

Mr. Dechen Wangdi

Customs Officer, RRCO Samtse

Mr. Kesang Yeshey

Assistant Collector, RRCO Gelephu

Mr. Tshering Dorji

Assistant Collector, RRCO Thimphu

Mr. Ugyen

Trainer/Consultant, Institute of Management

Studies, Thimphu

Mr. Dawa

Sr. Statistical Officer, National Statistics Bureau,

Thimphu

Mr. Jamyang Tashi

Manager, DHL, Thimphu

Mr. Palden Dorjee

General Manager, Leko Packers, Forwaders &

Clearing Agent, Thimphu

Mr. Sonam Gyaltshen

Dy. Chief Trade Officer, Department of Trade,

Thimphu

Mr. Sangay Dorji K

Immigration Officer, Department of Immigration,

Thimphu

Mr. Kunzang Wangdi

Specialist, Department of Road, Thimphu

Mr. Yeshi Dorji

Sr. Research Officer, BCCI, Thimphu

Mr. Damcho Tshering

General Manager, Bhutan Post, Southern Region

Mr.Dorji Tshering

President, Bhutan Exporters Association

Mr. Pema

Managing Director, Dophu Transport

Mr. Phajo Dorjee

Director, RMA, Thimphu

Mrs. Kinley Pelden

Chief, BAFRA, Thimphu

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Ms. Tshering Choden

Staff, Rabten Roadways

Mr. Karma Pemba

Chief Transport Officer, RSTA, Thimphu

Mr. Tshering Yeshi

General Secretary, Bhutan Exporters Association

UN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL

COMMISSION

FOR ASIA AND THE PACIFIC

Yann Duval

Chief

Trade Facilitation

Trade and Investment Division

Tengfei Wang

Economic Affairs Officer

Trade Facilitation

Trade and Investment Division

Fedor Kormilitsyn

Economic Affairs Officer

Transport Facilitation and Logistics Section

Transport Division

ASIAN DEVELOPMENT BANK

Cuong Minh Nguyen

Senior Economist (Regional Cooperation)

SARC, South Asia Department

Jacqueline Lam

Consultant (Trade Economist)

South Asia Department

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A3. Trade and Transport Facilitation Monitoring Mechanism (TTFMM) meeting

Wuhan, China, 21 October 2015

BANGLADESH

Mr. Md. Abdul Hakim, First Secretary (Customs

Modernization), National Board of Revenue

Dhaka, Bangladesh

BHUTAN

Mr. Sonam Phuntsho Wangdi, Joint Secretary,

Ministry of Economic Affairs, Thimphu, Bhutan

Mr. Dhendup, Deputy Collector, Regional Revenue

and Customs Office, Department of Revenue and

Customs, Phuentsholling, Bhutan

Mr. Kesang Yeshey, Assistant Collector, Regional

Revenue and Customs Office, Department of

Revenue and Customs, Phuentsholling, Bhutan

INDIA

Mr. Zubair Riaz Kamili, Additional Commissioner,

Customs Commissionerate, New Delhi

Mr. Prabir De, Professor, India habitat Centre,

Zone 4B, Lodhi Road, New Delhi, India

NEPAL

Mr. Toya Narayan Gyawali, Joint Secretary,

Ministry of Commerce and Supplies, Kathmandu

Mr. Bishnu Prasad Paudel, Director, Customs

Department, Kathmandu, Nepal

Mr. Ananta Prasad Timsina, Customs Reform and

Modernization Section, Department of Customs,

Kathmandu, Nepal

Mr. Sharma Rajan, President, Nepal Freight

Forwarders Association and Member of Nepal

Trade & Transport Facilitation Committee,

Kathmandu, Nepal

INTERNATIONAL TRADE CENTRE (ITC)

Mr. Mohammad Saeed

Senior Advisor on Trade Facilitation

ASIAN DEVELOPMENT BANK (ADB)

Ms. Rosalind McKenzie

Regional Cooperation Specialist

Regional Cooperation and Operations

Coordination Division (SARC)

South Asia Department

Mr. Achyut Bhandari

National Trade Facilitation Expert

Independent of ADB for Bhutan

Thimphu, Bhutan

Mr. Mohammad Farhad

ADB Consultant/Customs Expert

Asian Development Bank (ADB)

Dhaka, Bangladesh

Mr. Sarad Bickram Rana

National National Customs Procures Expert

Asian Development Bank (ADB)

Kathmandu, Nepal

Dr. Posh Pandey

Chairman

South Asia Watch on Trade Economics and

Environment (SAWTEE)

Kathmandu, Nepal

____________

ESCAP

Mr. Tengfei Wang

Economic Affairs Officer

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A4. Workshop for the Implementation of TTFMM Baseline Studies

Bangkok, Thailand, 13-15 January 2016

BANGLADESH

Mr. Md. Firoz Shah Alam

Member (Customs: Audit, Modernisation & Intl.

Trade)

National Board of Revenue

Mr. Md. Abdur Rob

Deputy Secretary

Ministry of Commerce

Mr. Hasan Mohammad Tarek Rikabder

Joint Commissioner

Customs Excise & Vat commissionarate,

Mr. Md. Enamul Hoque

Assistant Commissioner

Customs Excise & Vat commissionarate

Mr. Md. Sayeduzzaman Sayed

Sayed Enterprise (Clearing & Forwarding Agent,

Import and Export, and Transport) President,

Burimari C&F Agents Association

Mr. Md. Rezaul Karim

C&F Agent, Freight Forwarder & Importer-

Exporter

President, Banglabandha C&F Agents Association

Director, Panchagrah Chamber of Commerce &

Industry

BHUTAN

Mr. Karma Drukpa

Regional Director

Regional Trade and Industry Office

Mr. Pema Wangchen

Joint Commissioner

Liaison and Transit Office

Royal Bhutan Customs Office

Mr. Tandin Wangchhen

Joint Collector

Customs and Excise Division

Department of Revenue and Customs

Ms. Deki Gyamtsho

Deputy Collector

Regional Revenue and customs Office

Department of Revenue and Customs

Ms. Tshering Choden

Executive Director

Bhutan Clearing and Forwarding Agent

INDIA

Mr. Kundan Kumar

Superintendent

Department of Revenue (CBEC)

Ministry of Finance

NEPAL

Mr. Jib Raj Koirala

Joint Secretary

International Trade Relations

Ministry of Commerce & Supplies

Mr. Mimangsa Adhikari

Director

Customs Reforms & Modernization Section

Department of Customs

Mr. Nirmal Kumar Mainali

Customs Officer

Birgunj Customs

Kumar Bhattarai

Customs Officer

Mechi Customs Office

Mr.Rajan Sharma

President

Nepal Freight Fowarders Association

UNESCAP

Mr. Yann Duval

Chief, Trade Facilitation Unit

Trade and Investment Division

Mr. Tengfei Wang

Economic Affairs Officer

ASIAN DEVELOPMENT BANK (ADB)

Ms. Aileen Pangilinan

Programs Officer

South Asia Department

Mr. Acyut Bhandari

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ADB Consultant

Mr. Phuntsho Wangdi

ADB Consultant

Dr. Posh Pandey

ADB Consultant

Mr. Sarad Bickam Rana

ADB Consultant

Mr. Prabir De

ADB Consultant

Mr. Mohammad Farhad

ADB Consultant

Ms. Leticia de Leon

ADB Consultant

Ms. Alona Mae Agustin

ADB Consultant

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A5. National Validation workshop on Baseline Study of Trade and Transport Facilitation

Monitoring Mechanism (TTFMM)

Thimphu, Bhutan, 3 – 4 August 2016

Guests for opening and closing

Mr. Nim Dorji

Secretary, Ministry of Finance, Bhutan

Mr. Sonam Tenzin

Director, Department of Trade, MoEA

Mr. Yonten Namgyel

Director, Department of Revenue and Customs, MoF

Mr. Tshewang Norbu

Resident Representative, Bhutan Resident Mission,

Asian Development Bank

List of Participants

Mr. Tenzin Norbu

Collector, Customs & Excise, DRC, Thimphu

Mr. Tandin Wangchen

Joint Collector, Customs & Excise, DRC, Thimphu

Mr. Phuntsho Dorji

Deputy Collector, Customs & Excise, DRC,

Thimphu

Ms. Jambay Lhamo

Asst. Customs Officer, Customs & Excise, DRC,

Thimphu

Mr. Sangay Phuntsho

Regional Director, Regional Trade & Industry

Office, Thimphu

Mr. Zecko

Chief Trade Officer, Export Promotion Division,

Department of Trade, Thimphu

Mr. Pema Thinley

Sr. Trade Officer, Department of Trade, Thimphu

Mr.Tshering Nidup

Trade Officer, Import Section, DoT, Thimphu

Mr. Chador Wangdi

Dy. Chief of QCQD, Bhutan Agriculture & Food

Regulatory Authority, MoAF, Thimphu

Mr. Tashi Tenzin

Asst. Research Officer, Bhutan Standard Bureau,

Thimphu

Mr. Jigme Dorji

Sr. Research Officer, Royal Monetary Authority,

Thimphu

Mr. Yeshi Dorji

Sr. Research Officer, Bhutan Chamber of Commerce

& Industry, Thimphu

Mr. Karma Pemba

Chief Transport Officer, Road Safety & Transport

Authority, MoIC, Thimphu

Mr. Palden Dorji

General Manager, LEKO Packers (UPS), Thimphu

Mrs. Pema Yangdon

Country Manager, DHL, Thimphu

Ms.Wangmo

Regional Manager, Western Region, Bhutan Post,

Thimphu

Ms. Yadi Gurung

Officer, International Banking, Branch Office,

BNBL, Thimphu

Mr. Sangay Wangdi

General Manager, Royal Insurance Corporation of

Bhutan Ltd., Timphu

Mr. Choney Doji

International Banking, Bank of Bhutan, Thimphu

Mr. Sonam Tobgay

Mangaing Director, Sonam Thuendrel Export and

Import, Thimphu

Mr. Pema Lodey

General Manager, Bhutan Hyundai Motors, Thimphu

Mr. Sonam Dorji

Regional Director, RRCO PLING

Ms. Deki Gyamtsho

Deputy Collector, RRCO PLING

Mr. Tika Sharma

Executive Director, RSA Private Ltd., PLING

Mr. Kencho Dorji

Sr. Manager, Pelden Enterprise, PLING

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Mrs. Tshering Choden

Agent, Bhutan Clearing & Forwarding Agent,

PLING

Mrs. Sara Sunwar

Agent, S.S Clearing, PLING

Ms. Pem Bidha, Regional Director, Regional Trade

& Industry Office, PLING

Mr. Tshering Yeshi

General Secretary, Bhutan Exporter Association,

PLING

Mr. Damcho Tshering

Regional Manager, Southern Region, Bhutan Post,

PLING

Mr. Phuntsho

Officer In charge, BAFRA, MoAF, PLING

Mr. Tengfei Wang, Economic Affairs Officer,

UNESCAP

Mr. Achyut Bhandari

Consultant, ADB

Mr. Phuntsho Wangdi

Consultant, ADB

Ms. Sonam Dema

Consultant, ADB

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Appendix 2. CPMM data collection form (Kindly note that the data collection form is derived from the ADB CPMM Data collection Form)

Section A: to be filled in by the administrator or manager Control Number _________________

Driver’s name Line/Wechat ID Tel.

Driver’s company Email Tel.

Route

Commodity

Perishable? Yes / No Cargo Weight (Tons): Container? Yes / No

Section B: to be filed in by the driver

Please fill-up form properly and return to Mr. Sample, [email protected], Tel. 1234567.

Line ID: Wechat: ___ Skype _____

Stop No. Stop _0_ Stop _1_ Stop _2 Stop _3_

City/Place

Country

Distance from previous stop (km) 0

Date/time [DD-MM/HH-MI]

Border Crossing Point? Yes No

Reasons for stop 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5

Activities Duration Costs Duration Costs Duration Costs Duration Costs

HR MI OC TC HR MI OC TC HR MI OC TC HR MI OC TC

Border Security / Control

Customs Clearance

Health / Quarantine

Phytosanitary

Veterinary Inspection

Visa/Immigration

Traffic Inspection

Police Checkpoint / Stop

Vehicle breakdown

Weight/Standard Inspection

Escort / Convoy

Loading / Unloading

Road Toll

Waiting/ Queue

Sleep and rest

COMMENTS

NOTE: Reason for Stop: 1 – Place of Departure; 2 - Intermediate Stop; 3 – Exit Border Crossing; 4 – Entry Border Crossing;

5 – Final Destination; HR: Hours: MI: Minutes; OC – Official Cost in US$; TC – Total Cost in US$

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Appendix 3. Instructions on how to fill out the CPMM data collection form For Section A, the administrator or manager (e.g., the manager of the trucking company, or the person who will

manage the drivers) needs to fill in the information as much as possible.

Section B needs to be filled in by the driver.

Route: Including the origin and destination, key city/place and border crossings along the

route. For example, the route can be written as:

Kolkata–Birgunj–Kathmandu–Birgunj–Kolkata

Commodity: The description of goods transported. Examples are clothing, fruit and vegetables,

canned goods, oil processing equipment, construction materials, and mixed

commodities.

Perishable: Goods or cargoes that deteriorate or decay quickly. Examples are fruit and

vegetables.

Here, the correct answer needs to circled

Cargo weight The total weight in tons of goods being transported

Container: Indicator as to whether the vehicle is transporting the goods using a container such

as 20- or 40-foot container and other size of containers.

Details per stop

A stop should be recorded if either of the following is true: (i) the stop lasted at least 15 minutes, or (ii) the stop

involved a significant activity, such as a police checkpoint or unofficial payments; or (iii) the costs are incurred.

The record of each stop must include the following information:

Stop number: The number assigned each stop. The number such as 1, 2, 3, 4.. needs to be written

manually. If the total stops are over 4, the page needs to be copied.

City or place The name of the major city or town, or nearest major city or town, or a place is

relatively known, where the driver stopped. If necessary, the driver can write more

details on the bottom of the paper in “Comments”.

Country: Country in which the driver stopped.

Distance from previous

stop:

Number of kilometers (km) from previous stop.

Date/time [DD-

MM/HH-MI]

Date and time when the stop takes place, for example, 02-03/16-11, means the

vehicle stops on March 2 on 16hrs-11minutes.

Border Crossing Point? A record of whether the driver stopped at a particular border crossing

point (BCP)

Reason for stop The reason why the vehicle stopped, whether the stop was at the point of departure,

at an intermediate stop, at a BCP, or at the final destination. An “intermediate

stop” is defined as any stop other than that those made at the departure point, when

exiting or entering a country, or at the final destination.

In addition, the time spent and payments made (official and unofficial) at each stop are recorded by activity.

The list of activities encompasses all anticipated checks and procedures, both at BCPs and at intermediate stops

along the transit corridor.

Border Security /

Control

Inspection of goods and checking of documents by security personnel (i.e., police

or military). As part of the inspection, the driver pays fees (official or unofficial)

Customs Clearance Activity undertaken by the customs authorities that involves the inspection of

documents and goods entering or exiting a country. As part of this activity, the

driver fills out customs forms and pay fees.

Health / Quarantine Activity usually undertaken by the health authorities that involves checking for the

presence of malignant or contagious human diseases. As part of the inspection, the

driver fills out health or quarantine forms, pays fees, etc.

Phytosanitary Activity usually undertaken by the agricultural authorities that involves the

inspection of cargo for the possible presence of harmful pests and plant diseases.

As part of the inspection, the driver fills out phytosanitary forms and pays fees.

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Veterinary Inspection Activity usually undertaken by the veterinary authorities that involves the

inspection of cargo for the possible presence of infectious animal diseases and the

regulation of the flow of animals and animal products to a particular location. As

part of the inspection, the driver fills out veterinary forms and pays fees.

Visa/Immigration Activity usually undertaken by the immigration authorities at the BCPs to check

visas, or the activities required to apply for a visa, or to enter or exit the country

when the driver has no valid visa. As part of the inspection, the driver fills out

immigration or visa forms and pays fees.

Traffic Inspection Inspection undertaken by a state traffic inspector

Police Checkpoint / Stop Road blocks or checkpoints set up by the traffic police along a route that take time

to get through or require payment to proceed.

Vehicle breakdown A vehicle breakdown is the mechanical failure of a motor vehicle in such a way

that the underlying problem prevents the vehicle from being operated at all, or

impedes the vehicle's operation so much, that it is very difficult, nearly impossible,

or else dangerous to operate.

Weight/Standard

Inspection

The checking of the dimensions and weight of a vehicle with cargo, including

queuing or waiting time, payment of fees, etc.

Escort / Convoy A convoy is a row of vehicles that move together. The vehicles are accompanied

by escorts, which can be customs officials or traffic police, for the purpose of

protecting the cargo.

Loading / Unloading The loading of goods at the point of origin, loading and unloading at intermediate

stops to deconsolidate cargo (i.e., transfer goods to another vehicle), or unloading

upon delivery at the final destination.

Road Toll Fees payable when drivers use a special section of a road or highway, thereby

shortening travel time.

Waiting/ Queue Waiting in queues to enter the BCPs. Note that this activity does not include

waiting time for other activities, such as waiting in line to fill out or submit

customs clearance documents (which should be recorded as part of the duration of

customs clearance).