Fewer trucks on Czech motorways and cleaner air?

For more than a year now, in the evening hours Raben Logistics Czech has been using unique combined sets going on regular routes Brno – Prague – Brno and Olomouc - Prague – Olomouc. From the entire Raben Group in eleven European countries, only the Czechs are using these huge trailers. The units with a total weight of 48 tons are 25.25 metres long and are able to transport up to 102 euro pallets on two levels at one go.

“It is a set of a trailer with a container that can be disconnected and they can be controlled and used separately,” says Raben Marketing and PR Specialist Martina Netuhová. “By the use of long sets, only this year we will save thousands trips in traditional trucks which is on both routes about 250,000 thousand kilometres. But mainly, we will not release 200 tons of CO2 emissions to the air per year,” Netuhová counts.

Win-win solution: Saving money and respect for nature

In the future, the number of vehicles involved in freight transport on roads will still increase. It is the reason why the long sets are solutions on how to significantly reduce the increase of the truck transport on motorways.

“Transport can be more effective depending on capacity utilization. The long sets reduce the traffic intensity, they save fuel, time, staff and they are an opportunity to the higher productivity. They also reduce harmful emissions in the air. We are convinced this is the way on how to burden Czech motorways less and thus protect the environment,” says Raben Logistics Czech Road Network Director Jiří Chlup.

The conditions are clearly defined

And what does the combined set actually look like? These are two cargo holds, trailer and container, that are connected with a special chassis. When moving backwards, it is possible to disconnect the trailer and the container and they can be operated by the driver completely separately.

“This significantly facilitates the move of vehicles near depots where a heavy traffic is concentrated in the evenings. The truck with the container does not need to wait for unloading of the trailer,” Jiří Chlup explains.

Sets with a total length of over 22 metres must comply with strict rules. Apart from the approval of the Ministry of Transport which is applied for again every three months it is also marking and other restrictions. The set can go only on motorways and highways. The place of loading and unloading of goods must be easily accessible from the exit of the truck from the motorway and must not cross a railway.

“Combi train is always specially marked with orange lights, reflective panels and signs indicating the overall length of the vehicle,” Netuhová describes.