Construction and infrastructure company Aggregate Industries has made the case for why non-tipping trailers offer the possibility to alleviate the UK’s current HGV driver shortage.
Aggregate Industries believes its so-called ‘walking floor’ system of non-tipping trailers, which pushes material out of the hold, raises total capacity by as much as 43% per vehicle.
The company states that the take-up of non-tipping trailers has been low as a result of “customer inertia, lack of planning and product misconceptions.” However, it is hopeful that the current climate means the time is ripe for non-tipping trailers to become more commonplace.
Ben Young, Head of road logistics at Aggregate Industries, is quoted in multiple construction news websites regarding how these non-tipping trailers can help with driver shortages. He claims that the trailers are a “no brainer” for construction projects:
“At a time when the construction sector faces ongoing challenges around the availability of truck drivers, which is exacerbating supply issues, the need to utilise innovative trailers such as NTTs to alleviate the problem cannot be overstated. The fact that these cutting-edge trucks, considered best practice and with a proven track record on many projects already, can deliver up to 40% more materials compared to standard hauls means they should be a no brainer on all construction projects – especially those suffering from a lack of drivers.”
Young also claims that the non-tipping trailers are a “vital part” of how industry can make productivity gains in the future:
“Hesitancy over NTTs is disappointing and unfounded – they’ve delivered great results on high-profile projects such as the A14, yet they just aren’t utilised as much as they could be. The latest generation of NTTs not only boast a discharge speed of 53 seconds but also have improved inner and outer turning circle (v 8W) in terms of manoeuvrability. The UK construction sector is considered world-class and with the driver shortage likely to continue in the coming years, remaining competitive and cutting edge in the face of Brexit and a post-pandemic recovery has never been more important. This will depend on how the industry can improve gains in productivity, efficiency and technology and NTTs are a vital part of this.”
Photo credit: Aggregate Industries