Truck & Driver wants to know what you think about the government giving the green light to longer semi-trailer trials.
Do you think it is a threat to the work you do, or will do in the future? Or does it represent an opportunity?
Has your company said it will invest in the trailers?
Will you be looking for more pay if you are asked to drive them?
Please note that any comments may be used in the magazine.
Thank you.
Will they be raising the GVW 
Here in Canada/US we run 53ft trailers but most of the time were not loaded back much past the 48ft mark unless its a nice light load, when i was on wagon & drags back in the UK we could get 24 plts of empty drinks cans on but this was only when we were moving stock to holding warehouses around the country, most deliveries into brewerys were only 20 plts as they worked to something like 300 barrels of beer was 20 plts of cans so it was a bit of a none event most of the time. Ive also been in a large truckstop out here which was still marked out for 48ft trailers, that made for some interesting viewing for the evening 
I think they are a stupid idea in this little island of ours. HGVs already run over corners as it is .How much extra will the driver get buttons I bet.When they get the go ahead the rate cutting will start so there will be naff all for the driver .
Truckwriter:
Truck & Driver wants to know what you think about the government giving the green light to longer semi-trailer trials.
Do you think it is a threat to the work you do, or will do in the future? Or does it represent an opportunity?
Has your company said it will invest in the trailers?
Will you be looking for more pay if you are asked to drive them?
Please note that any comments may be used in the magazine.
Thank you.
Is this the same question that Ricki asked yesterday about allowing longer trailers?
Truckwriter:
Truck & Driver wants to know what you think about the government giving the green light to longer semi-trailer trials.
Do you think it is a threat to the work you do, or will do in the future? Or does it represent an opportunity?
Has your company said it will invest in the trailers?
Will you be looking for more pay if you are asked to drive them?
Please note that any comments may be used in the magazine.
Thank you.
I dont think its a threat to my job personally but in the grand scheme of things it could cost jobs. My company disnae tell me ■■■■ all until they hit you with it, you actually need to ask them if you want to know anything communication is ■■■■ poor. But i reckon as its ideal to our sort of work high cube low weight they will be interested.
Of course id be looking for more money but i wouldn’t get it 
Id say in our mulitdrop work 60% customers could take it no bother, 25% it would be a hassle probably need to take your susies out to turn and 15% it would be physically impossible.
Should not be happening!!!A consultative process was undertaken,thousands could have taken part only 318 bothered,total lack of interest in this industry.From that number 253 were against,24 no opinion and only 41 in favour.I have raised questions in CM about the future of Transport Minister Penning and trust it will see the light of day next week.
Longer trailers?? On todays roads?? PMSL It’ll keep street furniture manufacturers, ground workers (kerb repairs), tyre fitters and coach builders/repairers well in business.
I’m not the greatest driver in the world, but sometimes you’ve got to chop corners etc (8 wheelers don’t bend round corners), because of the way an office monkey has decided to design a road/junction on a PC and says, that’s better! 
Some roads are still only good enough for horse and carts!
I do a lot of high volume work so I suppose our firm will adopt longer trailers as soon as they can.
I can’t say I’m too bothered really.
I just hope I clip the trailer designers wing mirror when I emerge from a T Junction one day…
W
some of us are already driving 18.75m vehicles 
Denis…that would be 18.75 vehicles which bend in the middle…most useful function on our small island and I trust you are paid extra for that extra responsibility.I would have been perfectly happy with an extra 2.05 metres so long as it was an extra metre at the rear and the remainder on the front,surely in these modern times drivers should have onboard accomodation which ensures their rest period can be taken in suitable accomodation…surely not asking too much in the 21st century■■?
need bigger and better cabs not trailers
Semi-trailers, never ever in all my years heard anyone in GB call em that, apart from lorry mags. 
Although it won’t directly affect me as I drive a walking floor so no cubing out issues the way I see it is longer trailers equal less loads which to me equals less drivers needed to deliver the loads which equals less jobs - simples!!!
Simon.
kindle530:
Semi-trailers, never ever in all my years heard anyone in GB call em that, apart from lorry mags.
When I used to work out of Hewden’s the manager would often refer to getting a semi in for some jobs.
Thank you for all your responses. Nianiamh - gvw is not being raised. The 10-year trial starts in January; 900 trailers will have an increased length of up to 2.03m and 900 will be up to 1m longer: assets.dft.gov.uk/publications/t … idance.pdf
Armagedon - i agree that it is interesting that of the responses to the consultation received, the majority were “clearly opposed” to a trial.
Wheelnut - sorry, i wasn’t aware of Ricki’s question on this subject.
Cheers
Truckwriter there is one teensy issue… why didn’t Minister Penning include an increase in cab length…the only manufacturer who could have been immediately affected would have been Mercedes Benz…whose latest Actros might just have died an instant death and Mercedes does love the British market…that is Mercedes Benz part of the Daimler Benz group fined $180 million in the USA a while ago for bribing Government officials around the World.Just a thought,probably fortunate we know that our political leaders are honest,upstanding members of society.
8wheels:
kindle530:
Semi-trailers, never ever in all my years heard anyone in GB call em that, apart from lorry mags.When I used to work out of Hewden’s the manager would often refer to getting a semi in for some jobs.
As long as they don’t refer to them as Sem Eye, after all they call the V8 engine a Hem Eee 
Semi
Hemi
kindle530:
Semi-trailers, never ever in all my years heard anyone in GB call em that, apart from lorry mags.
I know Carl more repetitive ■■■■■■■■.
Why oh why do we need longer trailers when there double deckers out there.
Personally I feel longer trailers are much safer than double deckers…
fuse:
I think they are a stupid idea in this little island of ours. HGVs already run over corners as it is .How much extra will the driver get buttons I bet.When they get the go ahead the rate cutting will start so there will be naff all for the driver .
hiya,
Pulled 45, 50 and 55 footers in the 70s on general haulage there was no extra pay when pulling these but there was no extra weight either I found them just as easy to handle as a 40 footer and you quickly found out where they wouldn’t go so you didn’t take them there.
thanks harry long retired.