01697392

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The competitiveness of Finland with respect to logistics was improved by increasing the maximum dimensions and masses for heavy goods vehicles and combinations of vehicles. The maximum height was increased from 4.2 metres to 4.4 metres and the maximum mass from 60 tonnes to 76 tonnes in 2013. According to the Finnish Transport Agency, approximately 1.6–3.2 billion euros could be saved in logistics costs over the next twenty years by increasing the sizes of vehicle combinations. It was also estimated that the reform would help to reduce the carbon dioxide emissions from traffic by two per cent a year. However, there is a need to strengthen roads and bridges, especially when pavement thickness is less than 100 mm.The Finnish Traffic Safety Agency has been approving permits for testing of even bigger HCT vehicles since 2013. There are about 50 pilots running and the results of pilots are promising. Fuel savings are up to 30 percent and cost of personnel can be up to 10-15 lower. There has been no worsening in traffic safety due to HCT pilots. To ensure smooth operation of especially longer vehicle combinations, good co-operation between road authorities and police is needed.Finland is planning to further increase truck maximum weights and lengths, based on the results of HCT pilots. The increase of vehicle combination length will take place in 2018, but weight increase will need more investigations to ensure preservation of road condition and access control of vehicles.

This paper was sponsored by TRB committee AT055 Standing Committee on Truck Size and Weight.

19-02626

English

10p

2019

Transportation Research Board 98th Annual Meeting

Digital/other

Maps; Photos; References

Logistics; Sustainable development; Trucks; Vehicle capacity

Finland

Freight Transportation; Operations and Traffic Management; Vehicles and Equipment

Transportation Research Board Annual Meeting 2019 Paper #19-02626

TRIS, TRB, ATRI

Dec 7 2018 9:26AM