Trials of road trains almost 54 metres long to operate on WA’s Great Northern Highway has been extended to the end of the year.
The WA government says a triple-road train (53.5 metre long) trial running from Wubin to Muchea on the highway (north of Perth) will now end on December 31.
It says the decision was made following positive industry feedback and monitoring of the trial.
Trials to allow 27.5m and 36.5m-long road trains carrying petrol, diesel, fertiliser, lime, lime sand, milk and bulk perishable goods that can carry an extra 10 tonnes per load have also been extended to December 31.
The trials began in April to improve freight movements between Perth and the Wheatbelt, Murchison, Goldfields, Pilbara and Kimberley regions; the decision at the time was slammed by the National Party.
TRIALS ‘ARE NEEDED’
The trial included strict safety requirements, including vehicle standards and minimum driver experience requirements.
The trials were introduced to help industry cope with amid global fuel supply shortages created by the US-Iran war by reducing the number of trucks on the roads.
WA Transport Minister Rita Saffioti says the state’s freight industry is “critical” to keeping the state economy strong and regional and rural towns supplied.
“These extensions provide certainty for operators while continuing to deliver productivity benefits across our freight network,” she says.
“The road train trial between Wubin and Muchea is allowing more freight to be moved with fewer truck movements, improving productivity and fuel efficiency.
“Continuing to allow road trains to carry larger loads of fuel, fertiliser, lime, lime sand, milk and bulk perishable goods will also help support our regional communities and industries,” Saffioti says.
WHAT IS A ROAD TRAIN? Also called a land train or Long Combination Vehicle (LCV), is a semi-trailer truck used to move freight more efficiently than standard single-trailer trucks. It normally consists of a prime mover (a heavy-duty truck) and two or more trailers connected via converter dollies (are small trailers with a fifth-wheel coupling that links each trailer to the next). This multiple articulation allows road trains to reach lengths of up to 53.5 meters. Source: engineerfix.com.
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