Other voices: Balancing safety with utilization and capacity with road trains

Anyone driving down a long stretch of Interstate has seen a tandem, which is two trailers behind a lead vehicle. Less common is a “road train,” also known as a mega-tandem, which is a string of multiple trailers behind a lead vehicle. These are used more often in Australia and Europe for heavy hauling, as well as in some parts of the US, and because of the inherent limitations in operation, they work best in rural areas where there is less congestion and straight roadways.

Much of the operation of a road train is similar to that of a tandem, that is, the operator would shuttle trailers to a yard, assemble the train and deliver to the next trailer yard or depot for disassembly and final delivery.

Tandems, or even single trucks, naturally require a wider turning curve than a smaller van or a passenger vehicle, and it would be virtually impossible for a mega-tandem to make a 90-degree turn. The sheer length and weight of one of these road trains is daunting. Operating a road train on roads with automobile traffic and possible congestion needs to be thoughtfully planned ahead of time.

Factors such as special lanes, limited access hours and increased safety protocols are just a few considerations that must be taken into account before allowing road trains to share the roads with other traffic. Potential downsides of road trains include an increased need for maintenance of equipment, as well as an increased safety risk and limited access. These considerations are weighed against the potential advantages of a road train, including increased capacity and improved efficiency, along with better driver utilization.

One of the most pressing issues in the transportation industry today is the critical driver shortage, and as the average age of drivers continues to climb with no replenishment, there will continue to be pressure on driver availability and pressure on fleet operators to look for innovative solutions.

Some may see road trains as at least a partial solution. Leveraging road train solutions may not eliminate the driver shortage, but it could be one of several factors to help mitigate it. Plenty of drivers will still be needed to pick up and deliver trailers from and to shipper and consignee locations, and shuttle them between yards.

Road trains are part of a portfolio of ideas that help increase capacity, improve driver utilization and help mitigate the driver shortage. Firms that take a Total Value Optimization approach bring a number of ideas to bear to drive cash out, cost down and enable growth across the end-to-end supply chain.

Michael Notarangeli is executive vice president, logistics at Maine Pointe, a global supply chain and operations consultancy.