en.Wedoany.com Reported - As diesel prices climb to record highs, several Australian states are advancing road train trials, allowing longer and more efficient road train combinations onto road networks that were previously restricted.
In Western Australia, a three-month trial launched in early April permits 53.5-metre triple road trains to operate on the Great Northern Highway between Wubin and Muchea in the Wheatbelt region. Previously, triple road trains were not allowed to travel south of Wubin and had to be split before continuing south. The trial comes with strict conditions, including the requirement that all trailers be equipped with electronic braking systems and that drivers have at least three years of relevant experience. Centurion recently expanded the trial further, with its triple road trains now able to travel directly into Perth along the Great Northern Highway without needing to split at Wubin.
Cam Dumesny, CEO of the Western Roads Federation, said the trial eliminates empty return trips and reduces the number of trucks needed to complete the same freight task. However, he noted that the trial conditions need to be re-examined: "Some requirements, like electronic braking systems on all trailers, were appropriate when Greenmount Hill was opened to traffic years ago. What the government has done is simply copy and paste those conditions onto Wubin." He also criticised the Port of Fremantle for not allowing high-productivity road trains, stating, "Instead, we are stuck with outdated requirements that prohibit combinations longer than 27.5 metres."
In Queensland, the Port of Brisbane has partnered with multiple operators to conduct road train trials, with participants including MEDLOG operating B-triples and South East Queensland Hauliers trialling electric A-triples. The Port of Brisbane stated that the new combinations increase container carrying capacity by 50% to 100% compared to other heavy vehicles.
Gary Mahon, CEO of the Queensland Trucking Association, pointed out that other freight corridors across the state still face restrictions. "You can travel 36.5 metres long through New South Wales and into Victoria, but when heading to Queensland along the Pacific Highway, operators must split as soon as they reach Chinderah. Queensland is essentially out of step with the rest of the eastern seaboard." He also mentioned that the Gatton decoupling yard is so busy that operators face waits of up to two hours, and that 42.5-metre AB-triples are still unable to travel directly to Townsville via inland freight routes.
The National Heavy Vehicle Regulator announced another measure last week, fast-tracking increases to gross mass limits: an increase of 1 tonne for combinations with a gross mass below 55 tonnes, and 2 tonnes for those above 55 tonnes, expected to take effect this month.
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