Date: Wed, 08 Aug 2001 09:31:39 +1200 From: Kerry Wood <kerry.wood at paradise.net.nz> X-Mailer: Mozilla 4.5 (Macintosh; I; PPC) To: sustran-discuss at jca.ax.apc.org Subject: [sustran] Heavy truck rules
Hi everybody
Another information request please.
The local main highway body, Transit New Zealand, is proposing revised rules to allow larger and heavier trucks on New Zealand roads, and submissions close at the end of the month. In the more radical scenario the increases are from maxima of 44 tonnes to 62 tonnes.
About a sixth of the claimed benefits are for safety. They don't elaborate much, but the idea seems to be that the same goods will be carried on fewer trucks, and fewer trucks will make the roads safer. But cheaper transport (which is the whole idea) will tend to bring more transport in absolute terms, as well as more road transport because of a transfer from rail to road. Just-in-time deliveries are an issue too, and my recollection is that average loads have been falling.
Has anybody got information on what happened in other countries, when larger and/or heavier trucks were permitted?
Many thanks
-- Kerry Wood Sustainable Transport Consulting Engineer 76 Virginia Road, Wanganui 5001, New Zealand Phone and fax (+64 6) 347 2307 Mobile 021 115 9346
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