Introducing B-doubles as part of a geostrategic logistics plan for regional development: the case of San Luis province in Argentina

The high capacity vehicles (HCV) known as B-doubles or B-trains are attracting increasing attention in South America, and most particularly in the Southern Cone Common Market, known as the Mercosur region (Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay). In 2010, country members experienced GDP growth in the region of 7 to 9 per cent. This paper provides details on the introduction of B-doubles in the province of San Luis, Argentina, as part of a visionary geostrategic logistics plan which envisages the social and economic development of the province within the Mercosur. San Luis is the only province in the country which has succeeded in legislating B-doubles’ transit along its roads up to June 2012. Movements by diverse stakeholders in different provinces of the country, interested in B-doubles, are indicating that all is about to change. The paper will describe the efforts lately made in order to achieve legislation of the use of B-doubles nationally.