Currently working for a company that as just got what they call Mega Decker trailers I think they are 16m long double deckers with rear wheel steer. Before going out with them drivers have to be trained which means a drive around the yard then signing a bit of paper to say your ok to use one. Is there any laws regarding these trailers drivers should know before going out as I have never seen one out on the road and don’t fancy hitting a car in some town.
Hopefully the yard training involves setting some cones up in a line and turning away from them several times in order to learn how much the rear overhang swings out, better to shift a few cones about for half an hour than wipe a car/building etc out with the R Send practising on the road.
Rear overhang sweep is my biggest worry out on the road, i bloody hated rigids with max permissable overhang, and definately don’t fancy on artic trailer like this, best of luck.
We have single deck trailers with rear steer that are 16m long (actually they are 15.65 metres to be precise). The rear steer gives them the same turning circle as a regular 40ft trailer but you do have to account for the extra swing especially when turning left/right at junctions.
The only law that I know of is that the trailer must display a certificate from DVSA allowing the over length trailer on the road.
Forgot to mention, there’s a switch to lock the rear steer for when you’re reversing (this normally engages automatically when you select reverse). However, if you lock the rear steer axle manually don’t forget to unlock it when you set off again as it’s illegal to drive forwards on the road with the rear steer axle in the locked position.
Sooner or later some bright spark is going for the 16’6" trailer - which will promptly knock more chips out of the 1950’s bridges up the M1 which current 16’2" trailers are only just clearing by the looks of it… A road re-surface raises the height of the original carriageway does it not?
How many bridges that were at, or very close to 16’6" and remain “Unlabled” would now require an updated headroom sign to be fitted I wonder? 
Bearing in mind we don’t get paid extra for driving deckers - the increased liabilities alone would suggest they are an “avoid” for the general driving population. 
I don’t like the way heavy and/or unstable pallets get routinely stacked on the top decks either, but what can you do? 
Comet had quite a few labelled up at 16’ 5", used to frighten the bloody life outa me when i went under bridges with chunks already missing.
Where did this change to the height of a trailer? The 16m long trailers have been about a while now. Nothing needed on your licence or to be displayed on the trailer. All firms using them have permission as it’s currently a DFT trial. Most firms using them will give the drivers training before letting you out on the roads with them.
Have a look here
viewtopic.php?p=1708103#p1708103
A drive around the yard and sign a bit of paper, if that’s the standard of training I would avoid them if it were me.
Stillers have some of them & are getting a few more so do Elddis have them with Stiller s you go out with a driver for approx a week for training
When reversing have the trailer straight so the lock engages
The daft thing is that the vehicles are not plated any higher to take extra weight 
They really don’t need a week of training and the rear axle will depend entirely on the trailer manufacturer and specification ordered.
Some have a mechanical linkage that sits in the neck of the 5th wheel plate. This moves a steering arm which controls the rear axle so whichever way you turn the wheels turn the way you need them to.
The main difference is you can keep tighter on bends where tail swing isn’t an issue and on corners where it is an issue then you need more space.
They’re only allowed to route them on certain roads I believe, I may be wrong.
Silver_Surfer:
They’re only allowed to route them on certain roads I believe, I may be wrong.
You are
Winseer:
Bearing in mind we don’t get paid extra for driving deckers - the increased liabilities alone would suggest they are an “avoid” for the general driving population.(
Why should you get more money? I just pull whatever gets put behind me wether its a container, curtainsider or 60ft load of steel, i quite enjoy the variety of different trailers and wouldnt expect to be paid more depending on what i had on
Ours are forever hitting cars,walls,signs,posts,fences in towns/cities,it’s to be expected when your delivering to shops in those locations,a.f.a.i.k you just get a mark put on your file for doing it,not something I’d loose much sleep over,just part of the job.
One lads got about 50 marks on his file,but that’s for various thing not just for hitting cars and he’s still employed.
dozy:
Ours are forever hitting cars,walls,signs,posts,fences in towns/cities,it’s to be expected when your delivering to shops in those locations,a.f.a.i.k you just get a mark put on your file for doing it,not something I’d loose much sleep over,just part of the job.
One lads got about 50 marks on his file,but that’s for various thing not just for hitting cars and he’s still employed.
Maybe it’s not the trailers that are the problem but the standards of your colleagues.
chaversdad:
Winseer:
Bearing in mind we don’t get paid extra for driving deckers - the increased liabilities alone would suggest they are an “avoid” for the general driving population.(
Why should you get more money? I just pull whatever gets put behind me wether its a container, curtainsider or 60ft load of steel, i quite enjoy the variety of different trailers and wouldnt expect to be paid more depending on what i had on
Exactly. Winseer would be the first to moan if he was to get reduced pay because he only had a town trailer.
Just think of all the extra hours O/T you can gain because it takes longer to load and unload so for some they DO get paid extra for driving them.
Winseer:
Sooner or later some bright spark is going for the 16’6" trailer - which will promptly knock more chips out of the 1950’s bridges up the M1 which current 16’2" trailers are only just clearing by the looks of it… A road re-surface raises the height of the original carriageway does it not?How many bridges that were at, or very close to 16’6" and remain “Unlabled” would now require an updated headroom sign to be fitted I wonder?
Bearing in mind we don’t get paid extra for driving deckers - the increased liabilities alone would suggest they are an “avoid” for the general driving population.
I don’t like the way heavy and/or unstable pallets get routinely stacked on the top decks either, but what can you do?
Most resurfacing on main roads I think they plane off the old surface, otherwise all the drain covers would be too low afterwards