Prime Minister Vladimir Putin made a stop at the 791st kilometre of the Amur Highway at a rest stop with a café and a service centre for long-haul lorrys. A long-haul driver, Alexander Sakharov, asked Mr Putin to show him the Lada Kalina car he was riding in. Mr Putin suggested he take a test drive.
Sakharov and his mates told the prime minister that as recently as three years ago, they would have found it impossible to picture themselves driving down this brand-new highway. "It was so horrible before," they said. "You, Mr Putin, are really lucky to be riding in this car now, and not back then."
They continued the conversation in the café, where Prime Minister Putin invited the drivers for a cup of tea.
Transcript of the conversation:
Vladimir Putin: We've had a ride, and the minister has noticed that there're quite a few filling stations, but almost no service points.
Remark: Yes, we have problems with tyre fitting especially.
Vladimir Putin: I haven't seen a single station with a public phone and a first-aid point. And if, God forbid, an accident happens? Service workshops aren't up to the mark. And there're no facilities where drivers can get some rest. In accordance with new regulations, you're supposed to stop for a break every eight hours. But where could you possibly do that?
Remark: In this respect, the highway still has a long way to go.
Remark: In this section, there are special rest stops.
Remark: Yes, we've a few nice stops arranged along the road.
Remark: The only thing is that while these stops are a good place to stop for the night, they aren't really convenient for big vehicles. You get in and start maneuvering. And if you see that it's packed more than by half, you'll just barely pass by. And further down the road, there isn't any such area. We're lucky not to have to travel long distances. Whereas guys who travel as far as Yakutia need at least three meals to keep them through the day.
Remark: And the quality of the road there leaves much to be desired.
Vladimir Putin: Frankly speaking, the first section isn't without problems. But you don't notice, do you?
Remark: From Khabarovsk to Birobijan? It is tough.
Vladimir Putin: No, it's not tough.
Remark: Well, it's hazardous.
Remark: It was worse before. You're lucky not to have had to pass through it earlier.
Remark: In a car like that, you can pass by a lot of bumps and potholes without noticing, but a person traveling in a lorry is more sensitive to those things.
Remark: We have to use foreign-made long-haul lorries, because domestic lorries are kind of... You see, commercial operators have changed their requirements. They now expect larger freights to be delivered within shorter periods of time. So the KamAZ lorry is no longer competitive, and you can't relax in there like you can in a foreign-made lorry.
Vladimir Putin: Are they more comfortable?
Remark: With all the criticisms leveled at the United States, we have to admit that this is the only country to manufacture driver- and passenger-friendly vehicles.
Vladimir Putin: You've got all amenities on board, right?
Remark: Yes, me, I've got a mid-sized bed on the bottom level. It's hard to find a long haul driver who wouldn't suffer from aching arms. And you cannot deal with this problem without proper rest. To be able to work well, you need to take time to relax.
Remark: Yes, [you should] be able to lie down for a nap and stand up and stretch your legs.
Vladimir Putin: It's good you mentioned that. I should raise that issue with the KamAZ chief.
Remark: Earlier today, you offered your Kalina to Alexander for a test drive. Now you can test-drive any of our lorries.
Vladimir Putin: It was easier for Alexander to handle the Kalina car than it would be for me to drive a long hauler.
Remark: No, not really. Current models come fully equipped. The gearshift is automatic and there's even a fridge onboard.
Vladimir Putin: Will you show me?
Remark: Sure. We can even swap if you want...
Vladimir Putin: It's a deal, as long as your hauler comes with - the cargo.
Remark: But Yakutia will then have to get by without any glass wool.
Vladimir Putin: So you're taking glass wool to Yakutia?
Remark: Yes, they're bundling up for the winter. I can't remember shipments of building materials being carried out on such a scale ever before.
Remark: People want to make sure they are warm in winter.
Remark: They are building housing for themselves.
Remark: And there's a lot of new technology in construction. Building materials are now being supplied in quantities comparable only to those of shafts.
Vladimir Putin: That's good.
Remark: Things have changed dramatically over the past couple of years, and now you won't see us carrying logs any more.
Vladimir Putin: That's a good sign. It's evidence that the construction industry is making progress.
Remark: By the way, there's never been so much furniture either. I carry furniture as well as food products. There's now a lot of quality furniture available, to suit every taste.
Vladimir Putin: Are you traveling north?
Remark: No, Zeya, Blagoveshchensk. We consider Zeya a local destination.
Remark: They supply furniture to Yakutia as well, much of it coming from Krasnoyarsk and Novosibirsk. There's no problem with that now.
Vladimir Putin: That's a good sign. It shows that construction is making headway.
Remark: Indeed, construction is moving forward. At our base, for example, we have building materials transported to Yakutsk and then on to Magadan by ferry. The ferry in Magadan is too small for a long hauler to fit in, you see...
Vladimir Putin: And how does it all work for the Magadan area?
Remark: There, [freights are carried] across the Aldan River.
Remark: There's a bridge out there. We recently had a local road flooded.
Vladimir Putin: This past winter?
Remark: No, just now. There were floods in Magadan for a whole week, a real emergency. And you issued instructions to deal with it.
Vladimir Putin: Oh, yes.
Remark: And now in Zeya, we have the Elga deposit. There was a time when it was shut down, then it reopened. This had an impact on us, as well, because when everything is operational and there're jobs available for people, they'll buy furniture, food, and so on.
Vladimir Putin: I hope that's what the situation will be like here, as well, with big construction projects about to be launched. Boguchan Nizhny and the [Vostochny] Cosmodrome.
Remark: There's a lot of talk about that cosmodrome.
Vladimir Putin: We've spent a long time choosing the right site; it took us a year and a half, in fact. Initially, we wanted to build it on the Pacific coast. But then we picked this area instead. Now we have until the end of 2011 to prepare all feasibility studies, and work on the site will probably get started as soon as the end of this year, or next year, at the latest.
Remark: This means that building materials will have to be supplied over here. New people will come, new jobs will be created...-
Vladimir Putin: There will be a whole office set up, with a staff of 35 to work there.
Remark: Then they'll probably need public cafeterias, won't they? We'll be there on to supply food.
Vladimir Putin: Sure.
Remark: North-bound deliveries will start being carried at a lower level after more new highways open.
Vladimir Putin: And of a big airfield. There's a large construction site in the area, to be completed by the year 2020. -
Remark: So there will be lots of activity all around.
Vladimir Putin: Yes. And it will continue that way after the cosmodrome is up and running. But other types of cargo will then be in demand.
Remark: Mr Putin, will technical regulations be amended somehow?
Remark: We are concerned about possible restrictions on cargo size, length...
Remark: Only the length limits will be changed. But if the ceiling is set below 20 metres, we'll be the ones worst hit, since we just won't fit in.
Remark: And there may also be restrictions on the maximum weight of freights.
Remark: Maybe the top limit for the total weight should actually be increased?
Vladimir Putin: It should depend on the road surface. You're aware, aren't you, that an overweight lorry can cause the road to collapse, and then you'll have no option but to abandon your lorry.
Remark: But aren't the most common types of vehicles taken into consideration when developing a road construction project? -
Remark: Highways are built for motor vehicles, not the other way round. Right?
Vladimir Putin: We should build highways suitable for our domestically made vehicles. And we should build vehicles that would at least be as good as the ones you're driving now.
Remark: I don't mind driving a KamAZ, actually. Provided that it offers the necessary level of comfort.
Remark: Yes, for rest and all necessary technical maintenance.
Vladimir Putin: Yes, I heard you all right.
Remark: And it should be affordable, too, as the current prices are just exorbitant.
Vladimir Putin: Come on! KamAZ prices exorbitant?
Remark: The same amount of money can buy you a U.S. Freightliner lorry, in good condition, instead of a KamAZ.
Remark: But you're talking about used foreign lorries here?
Remark: Exactly. Freightliners may be not brand-new, but they operate much better.
Remark: They are better technically, and more environmentally friendly.
Vladimir Putin: Let's see. By the way, the KamAZ plant is about to start production of a new engine in cooperation with U.S. manufacturers.
Remark: There's too much focus on that engine, but it doesn't offer a solution to the problem. There should be some other way to improve [KamAZ].
Vladimir Putin: They're currently starting production of a new engine in cooperation with a U.S. company.
Remark: The KamAZ needs to be 50% refitted, as a matter of fact. It needs a new engine, with more power.
Remark: It needs more power, yes.
Vladimir Putin: I visited the plant a short while ago. While there, I met with Russian and American manufacturers. They are now setting up a joint venture, and will have their engines made here, in Russia.
Remark: They, the Americans, are moving in the right direction. They've established production of six-cylinder in-line engines. These engines are much more efficient. Any driver can tell you that. [Much more efficient] than these V-shaped engines.
Remark: We, too, had in-line engines on MAZ-200 lorries....
Remark: That was ages ago.
Vladimir Putin: They'll be back. KamAZ has bought a license and will now begin production on its premises.
Remark: The KamAZ engine is long outdated.
Vladimir Putin: That's what I'm saying. They've obtained a license to start production of new engines now.
Remark: There‘s been a lot of talk about the new cabin as well.
Vladimir Putin: Yes, they showed it to me.
Remark: This cabin has been in the making for some thirty years now, and we haven't made any progress.
Vladimir Putin: They also had something hidden under their cap. They opened it up for me, but, unfortunately, I have no expertise to appreciate that stuff. Let's see how it's arranged in your lorries. And then I'll compare.
Remark: And when will they start mass production?
Vladimir Putin: They look ready to start. I can't remember any specific dates, but it seems they are just about to start. They showed me the design, which they've created by themselves. But they said they had drawn on international experience, comparing all the best models available on the market. You'll have a chance to assess for yourselves how close it really comes to Western standards.
Remark: We'll surely test-drive it one day.
Vladimir Putin (turning to a son of one of the drivers): Getting ready for school, are you?
Remark: Yes.
Vladimir Putin: I guess you won't be able to go with Dad on his trips when you're back in school.
Remark: The vacation's almost over.
Remark: Actually, he'll go to school for a while and then head to a children's camp, Okean. He's been awarded a holiday there. It was the top prize at a dance contest in Harbin. He loves dancing, you see...
Vladimir Putin: Great! Well done!
Remark: It's the regional or local authorities that awarded the dancing ensemble.
Vladimir Putin: We've got a special programme to maintain Okean. We'll help it develop further.
Remark: That's a nice camp.
Remark: I hear it has much in common with [the children's camp on the Black Sea] Artek [in Ukraine].
Vladimir Putin: Yes, we've got two such camos. Okean on the Pacific coast and Orlyonok on the Black Sea, in the Krasnodar Region. Both are excellent.
Remark (addressing Transport Minister Igor Levitin): So you don't have any specifics to reveal to us at this point concerning the acceptable size of freights?
Igor Levitin: I've written down the question, all things concerning limits on the weight, the size...
Vladimir Putin: It's too early to give any specifics, actually. It all remains to be seen.
Remark: And concerning the development of the Lena Highway?
Vladimir Putin: I've got it in my head; the minister made a note. We'll look into it.
Igor Levitin: It's hard to do several projects at once. But if a decision is made, then part of the builders will be transferred from this highway...
Remark: Because most of our people work up there...
Remark: We've been working there for many years now, and the situation is not getting any better, particularly on the Blagoveshchensk-Yakutsk section.
Vladimir Putin: The highway there is, indeed, in disrepair, and badly needs renovation. But this one needs to be completed as well. It seemed to you that it's a good road from Khabarovsk on, but it's mediocre, in fact. On the other hand, the highway linking Vladivostok and Khabarovsk will have to be revamped.
Remark: Yes, there too, the road has problems.
Vladimir Putin: Because the load is far heavier there than what you have over here.
Remark: True, there's more traffic there.
Vladimir Putin: And the road is of a poorer quality. But the Lena Highway should also be fixed, of course.
Remark: In some of its sections, the Lena is just horrible.
Vladimir Putin: And we don't have a single bridge over the Lena River.
Remark: There's been so much talk about it as well. Sometimes they say a bridge will be built, sometimes that it won't.
Remark: But already a railway is being extended up to the river.
Vladimir Putin: We need to extend the rails to Yakutsk first and then make a decision concerning a bridge across the Lena River. I think it should be designed for motor vehicles as well as trains.
Remark: That's appropriate. Like in Khabarovsk.
Remark: There's been some talk about a tunnel, it seems.
Vladimir Putin: A tunnel or a bridge. But first of all, we must have the rails extended.
Remark: They've come a long way [on that project] already.
Vladimir Putin: True. But it still has to be finished.
Remark: It'll probably be some time yet before trains start running along that section. Right?
Vladimir Putin: No, no, they are running already.
Remark: And when will communications be improved?
Vladimir Putin: When I return to Moscow, I'll give the appropriate instructions to the Communications Minister. It's unlikely that private investors will be willing to come here for business now, I'm afraid. So we'll have to fix it with public funds. Officials at the ministry will estimate the costs and draw up an action plan. We'll get it fixed, of course, as a priority.
Remark: Nowadays, we have to inform one another about breakdowns by passing on notes.
Vladimir Putin: When communications are running smoothly, it's possible to come to each other's assistance. And if there's no means to contact anyone, then you find yourself completely alone.
Remark: There's no way to call for a rescue team even.
Remark: We were hit by a wave of blizzards a short while ago.
Remark: You can find yourself buried in snow before you know it.
Vladimir Putin: And what's the weather here like in winter? What's the temperature?
Remark: It can get as cold as negative 45-49 degrees Celsius in winter. It even dropped to minus 50 degrees once. It's not always like that, but the frost can sting you real bad early in the morning in some places.
Remark: I once experienced minus 57 degrees Celsius.
Vladimir Putin: Minus 50? Doesn't the air freeze when it's that cold?
Remark: But lorries keep going.
Vladimir Putin: You probably don't switch them off for the night?
Remark: Of course not. Otherwise the battery would freeze.
Remark: In October last year, it was 32 degrees below zero in Yakutsk.
Vladimir Putin: At what temperatures do you stop switching off the engines?
Remark: Starting at minus 15, we let the engines run overnight. But technology keeps advancing, and now heaters are used extensively.
Remark: Heaters are used overnight as long as the temperature is above minus 15 degrees. And when it drops below this point, the oil freezes and it becomes harder for the battery to cope with the cold. So we stop turning the engines off. And since there're no garages out there, nor any parking lots with heating, you cannot keep your lorry warm.
Vladimir Putin: It must be dangerous to switch the engines off, right?
Remark: Absolutely. There would be many more problems to deal with.
Remark: You switch it off once and you can't start it again.
Remark: There's no specialized service station for lorries here, not that I know of. There's some workshop for cars. And a tow lorry may come to help them out. As for big motor vehicles, there aren't many options available.
Remark: As you drive down the highway, you don't come across any tyre shops, but you see engines and gearboxes being taken apart right on the road.
Vladimir Putin: This should be discussed with local authorities, with governors. I'll talk this over with them by all means. We should try to attract small and medium-size businesses, creating the conditions that will encourage them to set up such services here.
Remark: I hear that to be able to set up some workshop on a federal highway, one needs to get approval from many different agencies. It's no wonder businesspeople are not particularly keen to set up shop.
Vladimir Putin: All these stamps of approval, bureaucratic barriers, we'll help overcome them. The important thing is to bring people here who are willing to work. The amount will grow, as this is a big highway. The traffic here will continue to increase over time. And the services market will have to grow with it. Running a business here will soon become very lucrative.
Mr Levitin, we should assist regional governors, and make sure there are no snags at the federal level.
Remark: We have tyres without tubes. So if a wheel bursts, there's no roadside shop to buy a replacement from.
Remark: We've got that newly-opened Chita highway section. Guys working in the West for all their life bring various equipment into the region, freights for construction sites in Vladivostok. And they, too, complain that they often find themselves without tyres, with no repair shop in sight.
Remark: It's surprising when they ask, "Where can I fix my tyres here?" and you tell them that they'll just have to fix it all by themselves.
Remark: They don't even have a crowbar for the wheels on them.
Remark: We have lots of long-haul lorries coming from the West these days. They transport equipment mostly. There was a time when this highway, Chita-Blagoveshchenk, didn't exist. And I remember guys from Moscow coming over and saying: I'll tear this area off my map so that I never come back here. But now more people are coming along; there're lots of vehicles with European plates around here. Their jaws drop when they can't find basic services; they wonder how we manage, and I usually say, "We do everything by ourselves."
Vladimir Putin: There was no highway and no services here. The highway is in place now; hopefully, the services will follow.
Let's now take a look at your lorry, shall we?