1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193
194
195
196 
NOISES OFF.
Page 130
Page 131
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
• Simon Huiberts of the Royal Dutch Transport Association predicted: "Noise will be the most important environmental issue in coming years." It's certainly hard to argue with that view in Holland, where forthcoming legislation will limit overall truck noise levels to 65dB(A) from 19.00-23.00hrs, and to just 60dB(A) between 23.00-07.00hrs.
These limits will not be easy to meet60dB(A) is tittle more than the noise level inside a typical truck cab while idling. In Rotterdam, where a similar measure has already been introduced, it has effectively limited the delivery hours available for conventional vehicles.
What's more, the noise limit covers every aspect of the operation, including loading and unloading. This means that tail-lifts, roll cages and roller shutter doors will all have to be effectively silenced, and the noise of air-operated brakes could limit urban operation to smaller vehicles. Even reversing aids will have to use a 'traffic light" warning system rather than a buzzer. "Silent" refrigeration such as eutectic systems or dry ice in mini-containers can reduce noise levels by as much as 20-30dB(A).
As overall noise levels from vehicles are reduced further (and the public becomes less tolerant of truck noise) it is likely that similar legislation will be called for in the UK—and urban retailers could lead the way by demanding silence from deliveryfirms.