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Welcome Message from the IRU President
With 2008 begins my term as the newly elected President of the IRU. This is a task which I have accepted with much honour, but equally with a great sense of responsibility in light of the global challenges we must all face.
2008 equally marks the 60th anniversary of the IRU. In 1948, the founding fathers of the IRU had the right vision which is still clearly mentioned in the IRU Constitution and which is captured today by IRU’s slogan, “Working together for a better future”.
60 years down the road, buses, coaches, taxis and trucks have become the drivers of trade and tourism around the world, but they have also become the engine of economic and social progress everywhere.
The IRU, representing the road transport industry worldwide and transport operators, such as myself, plays a central part in the vital transport services, by providing the requested mobility of people and goods which are the lifeblood of ALL economies and nations.
The role of the IRU is much broader than merely promoting the interests of the road transport industry. Rather, it is IRU’s statutory obligation to act for the common good, fully cognisant of the sector’s irreplaceable role in uniting mankind and in better redistributing wealth by ensuring, with very high flexibility and quality, its unique and irreplaceable door-to-door transport services or as one of the most efficient and true partners of co-modality.
In this age of electronic communications that travel at the speed of light, changing the face and nature of trade with every transaction, time is often too short for anyone to identify and effectively respond to the strains caused by the unparalleled IT revolution on existing transport and logistics systems, practices and procedures.
Couple with this the effects on our business of globalisation and the liberalisation of economies, where everyone today should compete with everyone everywhere, the modern road transport industry today is not only a mode of transport, but has become an efficient production tool!
If getting into the profession is still easy, managing a transport company successfully – despite the numerous new opportunities – is becoming increasingly more difficult, notably due to the globalisation of demand and, above all, the globalisation of competition.
Because we are facing a future that is becoming ever more complex and demanding, it is obvious that modern and efficient road transport will continue to be the primary means of transport to ensure the demand for mobility of both people and goods generated by the modernisation of the economy. However, to promote road transport’s major role as the driving force of progress, we must be able to work together, we must be able to adapt, we must be able to change, we must be able to learn to learn, or we will fall short!
Confronting today’s and tomorrow’s opportunities and challenges will require that we tap, more than ever in its 60 year history of success, IRU’s global vision, with the ability to act locally through its unique international network of 180 dedicated IRU Member Associations in 72 countries on the 5 continents.
After the very successful mandates assumed by my predecessor, Paul Laeremans, over the last six years, I am fully confident that the IRU and its Members are better equipped today than they have ever been to meet the global challenges of security, road safety, energy saving, poverty alleviation, as well as to promote the facilitation of trade and tourism, in accordance with the requirements of sustainable development.
The challenges before us all are many, but the opportunities are far bigger. Working in partnership with its Members the IRU can drive economic, social and environmental progress!
With its dynamism, dedication and determination, the IRU will start 2008 as youthful as a 20 year old, but with three times the experience!
Janusz Lacny
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