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As you’ll probably already know, there is a limit to how long a haulage vehicle can be when driven in the UK. Most of the vehicles carrying loads on a daily basis won’t exceed about nineteen metres in length. So what on earth is one Lincoln based firm going to do with a lorry measuring more than twenty-five metres in length? Take it to the Netherlands This is the answer, and the reason why the firm has invested in it. The firm is using one of these super long HGVs in a trial at the moment, to see whether it can save them money and help them move their loads in a more efficient manner. Of course this isn’t one solid lorry – it is comprised of two trailers that are connected by a pivoting mechanism in the middle. Without this in place, you wouldn’t be able to drive it anywhere but in a straight line. The Netherlands doesn’t have any laws against the huge HGV being driven on their roads. So the two qualified members of staff at the business can take it over there and drive it to see how it performs. Before they bring it back to the UK they have to divide it in two and drive each one separately, so another cab is required to meet it before it comes into the UK. It sounds quite complex but there is a good reason why this is being trialled. Lower costs for moving loads This is the main reason why the big long lorry is being experimented with. Obviously you’ll need more fuel to keep this thing going, simply because of the extra weight on the back – empty or not. But it doesn’t use as much fuel as two separate vehicles would, with one trailer pulled by each. This means the company could save a lot of money in the long run. Obviously when the additional trainer is being used the lorry can carry a lot more items than it would with just one trailer. So when you weigh up the difference between more stock carried and the additional fuel used, it all adds up to cheaper costs in the end. Other haulage firms will no doubt be watching closely to see how this long lorry works for loads on the continent. It obviously won’t be feasible for any company that only works in the UK, but it might be a money saving idea for companies that have the capability to think about this way forward. All haulage firms are constantly looking for ways to save money, and if this works for this Lincoln based company, who is to say it wouldn’t work for any others? We won’t see these lorries on the road in the UK, but if you happen to be in the Netherlands any time soon, you might want to keep an eye out for this one. Norman Dulwich is a Correspondent for Haulage Exchange, the leading online trade network for the road transport industry across the UK and Europe. It provides services for matching return loads and to buy and sell road transport and haulage work in the domestic and international markets.
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