Career
On May 30-31, the 24th BAMAP expo-forum took place in the Belarusian capital city of Minsk. The organizer, the Association of International Road Carriers, traditionally combines its General Meeting of Association members with this transport equipment and spare parts event. This year, 70 manufacturers from the automotive industry presented products and services at the site of the National Library. AsstrA Transport, a Belarusian transport company, has been a member of BAMAP for many years. Therefore AsstrA representatives not only visited the industry-focused exhibition but also participated in the meeting.
Nikolai Epihov, Head of Transit Customs Procedures at AsstrA-Associated Traffic AG, shares his impressions.
“The Association’s main goal is the development of road freight transport both domestically in Belarus and internationally. The country’s main carriers meet annually at this event, and the exhibition brings together the largest manufacturers of vehicles and spare parts. In fact, the events are conveniently scheduled together so that participants can get market updates and evaluate and observe the latest, most advanced solutions. On display this time were tents, isotherms, and tandems as well as navigation, communication, and fuel metering systems.
“This year, almost the entire the AsstrA Minsk forwarding department attended the exhibition. Why? A good specialist has the most up-to-date information and is 100% certain of what he is talking about. A freight forwarder should not only speak the same language as a carrier but also be able to clearly explain any term to a customer if necessary.
“It is especially useful for young team members to attend such events. While theoretical training is of course important. this is an opportunity to visit some trailers in-person to see where their axes are, how a two-axis configuration differs from a three-axis one, and how the fastening systems work. This way you can quickly grasp what you have only heard about in lectures or seen in pictures.
“Regarding interesting innovations, I would mention the Mercedes-Benz Actros truck. The first thing that you notice about the Actros 2020 is the lack of side mirrors. Instead, they have installed exterior cameras which, according to the manufacturer, provide several advantages at once: high-quality images at night, a wide viewing angle, and improved aerodynamics. According to the producer, this truck also has a lot of electronic improvements, first among which is the second-generation Active Drive Assist autopilot. This new Mercedes has taken another step towards shipping completely unmanned cargo. While it may still seem like science fiction, new legislation regulating autopiloted trucks is already under development in Europe.
“Events of this kind allow us to be among the first to learn of the latest market trends. And this one offered a rare chance to observe firsthand aspects of the transportation industry you typically see only on paper. To enter an enclosure, to go inside the isotherm and refrigerator, to compare different methods of securing cargo, to sit in the driver's seat, get up close to a container and a timber truck – they are all unique experiences that help us better understand our colleagues’ work and improve our relationships with them,”says Tatiana Lazarevich, Road Transport Specialist at AsstrA Germany.
Yulia Rogovtsova, a member of the operations team, also shares her thoughts:
“It was interesting for me to visit this exhibition primarily because I am new to this profession. The opportunity to touch and see with your own eyes what you work with is invaluable. I had no idea how a bed could be placed in the cab, but at the exhibition I was able to sit in the driver's seat! This is really impressive because you can see how traffic flows look from the inside. In addition, when people simultaneously show and tell you equipment features and types of trailers, towing vehicles, and bindings, the information is remembered much faster.”
