Oktay Kılıç, Oğuzhan Heavy Transport Authority, Oğuzhan Heavy Transport Is Highly Ambient On Time Transportation

“WE CANNOT COMPET WITH US IN OUR ROADS AND VEHICLES”

 “DOORS ARE FULL DESTRUCTION”

Kılıç, drawing attention to the situation at the gates, rising costs with increasing price hikes, and dozvola problems: “Our drivers are not one day. In some doors, it waits for 5, 6 days. The driver already gets tired while waiting, then they wait for this driver to show a full performance.”

Stating that they established Oğuzhan Heavy Transport in 1994, that transportation is a grandfather's profession and that they have been doing transportation for three generations, Kılıç stated that he has been in the transportation sector since he was 15 years old and said: “This profession; I was the assistant, the driver, the boss. I've been working with my brothers for years. We are a family business. We are four brothers, we all share the same share in the company. Everyone in this body has their own specific task. We had 10 vehicles when we were founded, now we have 250 vehicles. We also do excavation work, we have an average of 20 double-wheel drive trucks there. MAN constitutes 80 percent of our vehicle park. Just as we have been truck drivers for three generations, we have also been a MAN driver for three generations since 1965. Our grandfather Şerafettin Kılıç bought our first MAN vehicle in 1965. Then our MAN adventure continued. We prefer Volvo brand vehicles for heavy transportation. We love MAN, besides this, the fact that MAN's service network is widespread and that it can be with us at any time is a big factor. Volvo, on the other hand, is an excellent vehicle for heavy haulage, a solid and durable vehicle for heavy loads.”

“We Are Working For Europe With A Rate Of 60 Percent”

Stating that 2021 is a good year for the transportation sector, Kılıç states that the periods in which the transportation sector has achieved the most growth are 2020 and 2021. Continuing his words with details about the companies and countries they work with, Kılıç said: “We have a comprehensive study in the country. We took the five-year job of Anadolu Şişe Cam. We have a two-year transportation business at EÜAŞ's Elbistan Thermal Power Plant. We have transportation business in ETİ Bor Bandırma and Bigadiç. We also work with many large companies abroad. We work 60 percent to Europe, Bulgaria, Romania, Serbia, Hungary, Poland and Germany. Currently, 50-60 of our vehicles are in Azerbaijan, and nearly 20 of our low-bed vehicles are going to Kyrgyzstan. Last year, we transported 50 vehicles to Uzbekistan, including myself, with low-beds.”

“Oğuzhan Heavy Transport is quite assertive, especially in on-time transportation”

Talking about the importance of timely transportation for them, Kılıç said that; “Customers have common expectations. They have expectations of getting the job done on time, fulfilling their commitment, and affordable transportation. Oğuzhan Heavy Transport is a very assertive company, especially in timely transportation. Today, if a customer wants 5 trucks, those 5 trucks will reach our customer. ‘The load is our honor, until we unload it.’ This is the subject we dwell on the most. That's why we take out the insurance at its value, pay it without delay and fulfill our commitments.”

“We Moved TAF's Equipment Together with Başkent Transport”

Talking about the transportation works of the Turkish Armed Forces, Kılıç added that they collaborated with Başkent Transport and said that; “The Turkish Army went to Europe in the 1900s. There have been exercises and activities, but they have never sent the Turkish Army to the other side of Kapıkule for about 120, 130 years. In 2021, NATO had an exercise in Romania, and we achieved that glorious task. Together with Başkent Transport, we transported almost 150, 160 TIRs of TAF equipment, weapons and vehicles to Romania. A month later, we brought the same ammunition to Turkey.”

“The Gates Are A Desolation”

Referring to the difficulties they have experienced as the industry, Kılıç pointed out that there is a need for parking areas with social facilities at the gates and said that; “A vehicle can wait at the gate, but if they show you a waiting room and offer you tea in a seat, you will not be disturbed when you wait. A vehicle is waiting in Kapıkule, but there is such a system. A parking lot must first be built at the Hamzabeyli, Sarp, Gürbulak and Türközü gates. When the trucks are lined up on the side of the road, the driver should not spend his time inside the vehicle. First of all, it is necessary to know the distress of the person. First of all, a nice parking place should be made for vehicles at customs and social facilities should be provided. Because the doors are a complete mess. Our drivers wait for 5, 6 days at some gates, not just one day. The driver already gets tired while waiting, then they wait for this driver to show a full performance.”

“Countries Give Dozvola To Other Countries To Protect Their Shippers”

Defining another of their problems as the Dozvola problem they experience every year, Kılıç said: “Exports increased especially this year due to the increase in foreign exchange and the flow of foreign investors to Turkey. We have been working internationally for 10 years. This year, I saw a number of trucks that I had not seen at customs in 10 years. Due to the increase in exports, the number of Dozvola necessarily ends. Most dozvola troubles begin almost after nine and ten months. Countries give Dozvola accordingly to other countries in order to protect their carrier. Therefore, no matter how much we talk about this problem, it will remain a problem.”

“How Can a Turkish Firm Compete?”

Stating that three months ago, a TRUCK with a Turkish license plate went to Uzbekistan, from Georgia to Russia, from Russia to Kazakhstan and from Kazakhstan to Uzbekistan, Kılıç says that this route is now closed to Turkish trucks. Kılıç said: “We are going from Georgia to Azerbaijan, from Azerbaijan to Kazakhstan and from Kazakhstan to Uzbekistan. We do not see Russia on this route, the vehicle boards the ship. There, the ship fee of a TRUCK is 2 thousand 200 dollars. This is serious money. The TRUCK with Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan license plate goes from Georgia to Russia, from Russia to Kazakhstan, from Kazakhstan to Uzbekistan. In terms of distance, this road is not very long, but the Turkish truck cannot compete on the route it goes. If there are 10 trucks, there is an additional cost of 22 thousand dollars. If this is done, it should be done by everyone. If Russia doesn't allow it, it shouldn't let anyone. How can a Turkish company compete under these conditions? For example, when they go to Europe, they get Dozvola money from trucks with Turkish license plates, and Bulgaria gets 43 euros. However, this fee is not taken from any vehicle with foreign license plate. Turkish trucks give more and more 86 euros, but the Turkish driver who drives a vehicle with a foreign license plate does not pay. It is the same in Russia; plate is foreign, driver Turkish can pass again. In fact, this is a boycott applied to the Turkish people.”

“We Can't Leave the Country Without Paying the Penalty If We Are Abroad”

Stating that he has traveled to many countries in the world and that he has not seen another country with new truck owners like Turkey, Kılıç said that; “There is no country with highways as beautiful as Turkey. It doesn't exist in Europe. Asia cannot compete with us in terms of both our roads and our vehicles. It shows the ways of a country's development and modernity. Neither highway, bridge, nor traffic fines were charged for any vehicle with foreign license plates, these practices have only just begun. If we are fined abroad, we cannot leave that country without paying the fine.”

“There Is An Unreasonable And Disproportionate Increase When Compared To Currency”

Pointing out that the exorbitant increases in recent years have negatively affected the sector, Kılıç states that there has been a significant increase especially in tires. Kılıç said: “The currency has increased by 70 percent and the tire has increased by 270 percent. 2 thousand lira tires are now 6 thousand 500 liras. There is a disproportionate increase. The motor oils we buy for a thousand liras in the industrial sector today have become 3 thousand liras. There is an unreasonable and disproportionate increase when compared to foreign currency. The price hike is already evident. Of course, we do not have the chance to reflect these hikes on our customers. Our contracts are made annually. While it is done annually, it does not carry the loads it will carry in the twelfth month, these transportation works are put out to tender in the ninth or tenth month. We get this job in the tenth month and we inevitably give prices according to the diesel rate of that day. For example, in the tenth month we got a shipping job to Serbia. We are currently fighting for the diesel hike, but they have no intention of giving. There are serious differences between them. In a vehicle, the price difference is almost 600 euros. Nobody knows what will happen.”

Photo caption

The newly received 2022 model VOLVO FH 750 vehicle by Oğuzhan Ağır Nakliyat