In 8 years’ time the long trucks will be more frequent on European roads according to the Frost & Sullivan consulting agency research.
The „XL” trucks are vehicles with a length of 25.25 m which weigh 60 tons. They are most frequent on motorways and express routes but they can also be seen on single carriageways which lead to the places of loading and unloading. According to the prognosis by the Frost & Sullivan company the presence of long trucks in the total sales of trucks will increase from 3.5% in 2016 to 5.7% in 2025 which will have positive effects for the carriers.
Along with the elimination of congestion, lower emissions of harmful substances, reduction of costs and growing demand for goods such vehicles will improve the efficiency of the fleet and thereby enhance its performance” say Frost & Sullivan experts.
According to the researchers the popularity of long trucks will lead to a decrease in sales of the traditional ones.
„Two megatrucks will successfully replace three normal trucks and this will reduce their sales and therefore manufacturers’ income” – says Marshall Martin, Frost & Sullivan mobility analyst. In his opinion the automotive industry giants such as Volvo and Mercedes should focus on alternative investments such as, for example safety, telematics or electromobility.
According to the researchers the factor hindering the megatrucks development is their negative impact on infrastructure, environment and other means of transport, as well as restrictive regulations. Currently, such vehicles are permitted, inter alia, in the USA and Australia, as well as in all Nordic countries. In Germany and Spain they can only be used on selected routes. It is expected that megatrucks will be used in China and India, provided that the capacity of the local roads and the parking infrastructure are adjusted.
And there are still not enough parking lots
The lack of available parking lots is already annoying to drivers of traditional trucks. Right now it is difficult to find a parking space. Not only in Poland but also in Western countries. According to the head of the Federal Transport and Logistics Association, Karlheinz Schmidt who made the assessment last year, Germany is missing approximately 10,000 parking spaces for heavy goods vehicles.
We estimate that in the next 15 years we will need another 10,000 spaces” – says Schmidt.
It is not difficult to imagine that with the increasing popularity of megatrucks the problem may get worse. How can we fix it? In addition to the infrastructure investments we should also spread the word about using modern technology which will facilitate parking space management, for example, in the form of mobile applications such as Transparking.
Photo: 40ton.net