TNT upgrades its fleet
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I TNT Express UK has put I aerodynamic 12.2m parcel mi-trailers into service as the st consignment of a £2.7 milli, 150-vehicle order from irtwrights of Altrincham. The air-suspended trailers Are been jointly designed by SIT's fleet engineer Alan Parr and Cartwrights, with ,unded front pillars, wide igle tyres, spring brake embers with no mechanical indbrakes, new rear lights id full GRP side guards. TNT will be replacing and igrading its entire fleet of ircels trailers and Parker is ire the trailers will last into e late 1990s.
Most of the trailers will use PW-Marcar air suspension, ith the rest using Rubery wen-Rockwell equipment. hey will feature load sensing rough the air pressure in the igs to help equalisation during lloading, and steel plates at e rear of the bodies to help protect against damage from lift-trucks.
The GRP side guards will help reduce spray, noise and air drag, says Parker: they extend from the rear tandem wheels to the back of the unit. The tandem axles have been moved 250mm forward of their normal position to improve load stability.
TNT is also experimenting with 100mm-high spoilers on the rear of the trailer roofs: "We're attempting to reduce the low pressure area at the back of trailers," says Parker. "Very few commercial vehicle designs concentrate on how they leave the air."
He also aims to develop rounded corner pillars at the rear of the trailer to match those at the front.