The_Open_Door_deel1

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in Liberia was owned, financed and maintained by private
(foreign) investors.
With the growth of Liberian Road Mileage corresponds a growth of
the country's Vehicle Fleet. Between 1949 and 1978 the number of
registered motor vehicles rose from 650 to over 21,000, or a rise
of more than 3,000 $. Total road mileage in the same period had
risen nearly as much, from about 220 miles in 1949 to over 6,000
miles in 1978 (representing a 2700 $ rise). Consequently, the
ratio Vehicles/Mileage' increased slightly, from 3.0 to 3.5 in
1949 and 1978 respectively. This, however, disguises a basic
characteristic of the Liberian economy and society, i.e. the
inequal distribution over geographical regions, administrative
divisions, and social groups. It should be borne in mind too that
the more than fifty per cent of Liberia's roads which are feeder
roads are much less intensively utilized than the primary and
secondary roads in the central part of the country and in the
Monrovia area,since these areas are more densely populated than
the regions with a high concentration of feeder roads (Lofa,
Nimba and Grand Gedeh Counties). Table 65 "shows the absolute and
relative composition of Liberia's Vehicle Fleet in 1978. Nearly
half of the Vehicle Fleet consisted of passenger cars (private
cars) and taxi cabs, about 10,000 vehicles. Of all taxi cabs an
estimated 90 per cent circulated in Monrovia, the rest in the
other coastal towns (A,L.-settlements). About 25 per cent were
pick-ups, trucks and other heavy vehicles which were used for
the transportation of materials (about 5.000 vehicles of which
about two fifths were trucks). Some 10 per cent of the vehicle
fleet consisted of "business cars".
Altogether 35,9 per cent of the vehicle fleet were commercial
cars and served the needs of the business community, 51.9 per
cent were used for the transportation of people, whereas 11.5
per cent were used by administrative services (including
Officials, Diplomatic Corps & Consuls, United Nations, the
Legislature, and Government vehicles). Motor cycles accounted
for less than 1 per cent of the vehicle fleet. Noteworthy is that
government-owned vehicles constituted more than 5 per cent of the
vehicle fleet.
From the composition of the 1978 Vehicle Fleet two important
conclusions can be drawn. First, whereas in the early 1970's
about one third of the country's vehicle fleet consisted of
heavy vehicles (of which about two thirds were trucks) (23), in
1978 about one fourth of the vehicle fleet consisted of heavy
vehicles - of which only some 40 per cent were trucks. This may
illustrate the changing composition of Liberia's vehicle fleet
which shows a shift from utility vehicles, used for the
transportation of materials, to (privately owned) passenger
cars. Whether this reflects the downward trend of the industrial
activities in the country during the 197O's or an upward
trend in the use of luxury cars is unknown but the significance
this has for the level of investment activities in both cases
is obvious.