After a successful 2016 event in Rotorua, New Zealand, the International Forum for Road Transport Technology (IFRTT) has officially revealed the location of the next Heavy Vehicle Transport Technology Symposium (HVTT).
The 2018 edition of the biannual industry gathering will take place in Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
“The Netherlands is proud to host the 15th international symposium on Heavy Vehicle Transport Technology from 2 – 5 October 2018 in Rotterdam,” Jolanda Duyvesteyn said on behalf of the organising committee.
Duyvesteyn added the theme for the event will be ‘Economy on wheels – Fast changes, slow structures’.
“The central question…is how to integrate the technological and socio-economic developments that affect road freight transport in existing structures – ageing infrastructure, historically grown cities, established market structures and social orders [as well as] ingrained habits,” she explained.
“The aim is to adapt the road freight transport system to increasing social and economic complexity…with significant safety and environmental constraints.”
According to Duyvesteyn, the “underlying sub themes” will be commercial vehicle technology, with a special focus on high productivity vehicles, logistics challenges, as well as infrastructure management and spatial planning.
The HVTT event series has gained global renown as a platform for researchers, policy makers, regulators, road agencies, heavy vehicle manufacturers and suppliers to exchange knowledge and support the development of a safe, sustainable, efficient and productive road freight transport.
The 2018 event once again expects delegates from all six continents, with over 70 papers to be presented in three parallel sessions. HVTT15 is also intended to offer a stage for research institutes, governmental bodies and multilateral organizations to present and expose ‘work in progress’ such as draft presentations of international research projects, special student activities and exhibitions, organisers explained.