Road trains proposed.

[G-CPTN]

Road trains that link vehicles together using wireless sensors could soon be on European roads.

From (and more at):- http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/8349923.stm

[Western SMT]

“The lead vehicle would be handled by a professional driver who would monitor the status of the road train”

Do they mean someone dedicated to providing this service and has no other purpose, if so it won’t be cheap?

[G-CPTN]

Highways Agency . . .

[midlandredc4]

Originally Posted by Western SMT

“The lead vehicle would be handled by a professional driver who would monitor the status of the road train”

Do they mean someone dedicated to providing this service and has no other purpose, if so it won’t be cheap?

What happens if the lead vehicle or 'professional' driver has a problem? All following won't be able to react so total carnage will ensue, as they we all in effect be tailgating each other.
The whole thing sounds totally bizarre. Glad to know the money us taxpayers pay to Europe is used so sensibly!!!

[deckboypeggy]

Hi to you all ,the road train is allready in existence,when was the last time any one travelled on theA 34 CONTAINER HIGHWAY, it used to be 4 hours from BANBURY TO SOUTHAMPTON,before BYPASSES,it is as bad now, stop being elephantine,i am pleased i do not drive for my living. thanfully retired ,some sit behind the curtains driving,how can they do that like big kids,bring back rope,ing and sheeting,BIG BOOTS AND BLACK HANDS,GREASIE OVERALLS.Stop bunchinning up like girls,road train fashion.I can now see why more frieght is moved by rail ,a lot of it is road HGV drivers ignorance driving as if they are connected like road trains to each other and stuff all the others.

[Western SMT]

Quote from original article

“Those joining a platoon or road train may one day pay for the privilege of someone else effectively driving them closer to their destination”

The magic word is “pay”, what you save on fuel you lose to the lead driver so the only advantage would be to businesses. The driver could catch up on paperwork and play with his/her laptop and phone.

These proposed road trains, would probably in the interests of safety have lower speed limits and may not suit many car drivers who are accustomed to getting from A to B much faster.

[G-CPTN]

Originally Posted by Western SMT

The driver could catch up on paperwork and play with his/her laptop and phone.

http://www.amazon.com/Mobile-Office-.../dp/B000IZGIA8

[darloboy]

road trains oz style have an artic pulling at least one extra trailer & upto a max length of i think 53.5meters depending where in the country the rig is in use a less length of 35.5 meters nearer the larger cities this differs in each state

[darloboy]

a little more clarification oz style road train is an artic pulling upto 5 trailers in all in the more remote areas to a max lenght of 53.5 meters here in Perth W.A there are designated routes where long trucks are allowed ie 35.5 meters or the B.double a rigid 8 or 6 legger with turn table a trailer with a turn table on the rear with a second trailer on that all available space used for freight & often picking up more trailers the further north the truck goes these trucks are speed limited ? to 100kph(60mph app) nuless it is dangerous goods like fuel it is less Here in W.A the regulations are relatively new penalties need revising as owners seem to want to push hard drivers suffer owner drivers are the big worry more work more money, the vicious circle not enough checks done but we will get there

[G-CPTN]

Thanks for that info, darloboy.
100 kph sounds a lot - no truck can exceed 90 kph here in the UK (and that only on motorways otherwise it is 64 kph on single carriageways).