Adil Najam
We at ATP have always had a fascination for peculiarly ‘Pakistani’ vehicles on Pakistani roads (here, here, here and here). And this picture is as ‘peculiar’ to Pakistan as it gets.
![]("/images/Overloading-a.jpg")
![]("/images/Overloading-b.jpg")
So, are you impressed by the fact that someone could (a) pack such a huge load and (b) drive this vehicle long distances? Or, are you depressed that someone would be ‘allowed’ to do so despite the obvious safety issues that this would raise?
While we have written about such over-loaded vehicles before, and while a part of me certainly says, ‘Wow’, this is no joking matter at all. The accompanying story in Dawn (April 22, 2007) about this and other ways in whcih traffic rules are disregarded is worth reading for exactly this reason.
GUJAR KHAN, April 21: The National Highways and Motorway Police (NHMP) have failed to check traffic violations on the G.T. Road, a survey by this correspondent showed. The oversized loading of iron bars, chaff and other materials on trucks and tractor trolleys; taking turns without proper use of indicators, faulty head and back lights, faulty brake lights, overloading on public vehicles, use of high beams as well as wrong side overtaking are the common violations on the highway.
It was observed that at some points the speed reading cameras were being used but the drivers very well knew these points and reduce the speed while approaching the pickets and soon after they again resort to speeding. According to the commuters, speed checking was merely an exercise to collect fine for the contractors who have become stakeholders of the force.
They said regular patrolling, observation of violations and chasing the carelessly-driven vehicles seemed least concern of the force. The officials sitting in airconditioned cars and vans seldom bothered to go away from the fine collection vans, they added. The road users pointed out that in a beat area the presence of the NHMP was on one side of the dual carriageway, which let the violators on the other side of the road go unchecked.
Furthermore, in the urban areas of Gujar Khan, Sohawa and Jhelum, there are some U-turns designed without proper survey which have become notorious for fatal accidents. The traffic rule violations at these U-turns also go unnoticed. The road users complained that the helpline numbers at the camp offices of NHMP remained under the official use and the callers in distress failed to connect it on time. They urged the ministry of communication to improve the working of the National Highways and Motorway Police in order to ensure road safety between Rawalpindi and Lahore.
StarTek, Inc. Reports Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2010 Results.(Financial report)
Telecommunications Weekly March 9, 2011 StarTek, Inc. (NYSE:SRT) announced its financial results for the fourth quarter and full year ended December 31, 2010. The Company reported fourth quarter 2010 revenue of $64.7 million and annual revenue of $265.4 million. Net loss was $0.44 per share in the fourth quarter of 2010 and $1.30 per share for the year ended December 31, 2010.
The Company continued to execute on its three point strategy: expanding offshore, rationalizing U.S. operations, and reducing its Canadian exposure. Fourth quarter revenue from offshore facilities grew 22% vs. the third quarter of 2010 and 155% vs. the fourth quarter of 2009. The offshore operations also returned to profitability with a gross margin of 6% in the fourth quarter of 2010. During the quarter, the Company consolidated two U.S. sites in Greeley and Grand Junction, Colorado, and announced the ramp-down of its Alexandria, Louisiana facility, which will result in future utilization and margin improvements. Also in the quarter, the Company completed the closure of its Sarnia, Ontario site announced earlier in 2010 leaving only three sites in its Canadian operation. All three of these initiatives are intended to increase offshore delivery capacity and restore profitability through utilization and margin improvements. Financial Highlights Fourth quarter 2010 revenue decreased 1.4% compared to the third quarter of 2010, and 10.8% compared to the fourth quarter of 2009. For the full year, revenue decreased 8.2% from $289 million in 2009. The decline from 2009 was due to six North American site closures during 2010, the ramp-down of another site that closed in early 2011, and lower North American wireless and wireline volumes. Revenue was down slightly from third quarter 2010, due to site closures and consolidations, partially offset by offshore segment growth, which expanded by $2.1 million, or 21%, compared to the third quarter of 2010. in our site grand junction colorado
Gross margin was 9.7% in the fourth quarter of 2010, compared to 10.1% in the third quarter of 2010, and 16.2% for the fourth quarter of 2009. The decline from 2009 was driven by the North American site closures, lower North American call volumes and the ramp-up of two new offshore locations. The decrease compared to last quarter, was a result of the ramp-down of sites in Sarnia, Ontario, Alexandria, Louisiana, Greeley and Grand Junction, Colorado, as well as approximately $0.3 million in severance expense, resulting from Company-wide reductions to site overhead costs. The offshore segment turned profitable, delivering 6% gross margin in the fourth quarter compared to a loss of 3.9% last quarter. go to web site grand junction colorado
SG&A expense for the quarter totaled $11.8 million, compared to $10.3 million in the third quarter of 2010, and $11.5 million in the fourth quarter of 2009. The increase from third quarter 2010 was due primarily to $0.9 million of severance costs associated with measures to reduce future SG&A expense.
The Company reported a fourth quarter 2010 operating loss before impairment and restructuring charges of $5.5 million and adjusted EBITDA of negative $0.7 million, compared to a third quarter 2010 operating loss before impairment and restructuring of $3.7 million and adjusted EBITDA of $1.1 million. The Company had a net loss of $6.6 million, or $0.44 per share, during the fourth quarter of 2010. The current quarter net loss compares to a net loss of $4.5 million, or $0.30 per share, in the third quarter of 2010, and net income of $0.9 million, or $0.06 per share, in the fourth quarter of 2009. Net loss for the full year 2010 was $1.30 per share compared to net income from continuing operations of $0.00 per share in 2009.
RSS
Twitter
Facebook
LinkedIn
Digg
YouTube
I am an officer in Motorway Police, Khanewal. I would agree with cmments given by Babby. It is really disturbing and a major traffic violation. We impose heavy fines on them in each beat area but in vain. During fog and low viribility we dont allow them on road and we bound them on pumps etc. U may discuss with me at 03455159104. U all may notice that NHMP have eradicated more dangerous trucks with oves sized iron bars. Keep Trust.
I am disturbed. This could create serious accidents. Similar scenes can be seen in the area of middle punjab every day in the season of sugar canes. In this season there is a lot of fog in the night and the trolleys full of sugar canes travel in the night on the single road and many of them dont even have reflector lights. I have seen this by myself and have witnessed major accidents caused by this.
Those who call it impressive have not travelled themselves on single road when these chalf carrying tractor trollies not giving way to vehicles coming behind and chalf is getting into eyes of the people around.
>>Putting all that cotton (I think) in
>>there is a great engineering achievement.
>>And then putting it on the vehicle. And then
>>driving it.
>>Must be a Guiness world record in it
>>somewhere!
Daktar: Hilarious…!!!
Further, The bigger problem is that the trolly behind the tractor doesnt have any brakes (it is built like this) and the tractor brakes are used only. You can very well imagine the load and momentum of the trolley and the force it puts on the tractor while braking hard. 90% of the tractor trolley accidents are due to this reason.
There must be a ruling by the Government to enforce the installation of brakes in the trolley as well. This I think should be on the priority list.
We all writing here are residents of big cities and things like these seem to us as nuisance.
But can anybody advise what could be the otherway round to move this haystack. If you load all the hay in a normal sized truck say a 20ft container, you can very well imagine how many containers a poor farmer would use??
Pakistan is an agricultural country and therefore, we should have some rules based on these kind of problems. We always criticise Traffic Police but you must bear in mind that the Traffic Police Sepoys hail from the same rural areas and they know how important is to move the crop economically so they let go thinking that there is no other option.
If anybody has any other option to move such large volumes of haystack (which obviously doesnt weigh too much) so pls come up with an idea.
Adil: This is a failure. Failure of the administration to provide adequate means of transportation of goods from ‘farm to the market’ and failure of the public to obey traffic safety rules. We are a nation that would come into the streets for gun battles with fellow citizens but will not lift a finger to protest against every day ‘failures’. Misplaced priorities.