THE LONGER SEMI-TRAILER DEBATE
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Another issue that has been running for a good few years is that of longer semi-trailers. We decided to go back to basics and ask the fundamental question: does the UK road transport industry need longer semi-trailers?
A total of 41% said yes, but 43% said no, and 16% didn’t know.
The most revealing aspect of the data is this: only about a quarter (26%) of hire and reward hauliers think longer semis are needed; the notion is much more popular with logistics and contract distribution companies (50%) and own account operators (55%).
We then asked: if the government does allow longer semi-trailers, should any restrictions apply? We offered three answers, with respondents allowed to choose as many as they liked.
The outcome was thus: ● By route – 77% ● By type of load – 38% ● By type of operator (ie own account operators only) – 23% This suggests the industry is open to the use of longer semi-trailers being regulated, perhaps serving to appease those who worry that the introduction of such trailers will create an imbalance in the market with the big getting bigger, and the small getting smaller.