Acumen Distribution has become the latest UK operator chosen by the Department of Transport to begin a 10-year trial of longer semi trailers.
The haulage operator has been allocated four Cartwright 15.6m trailers, which the company will run in partnership with Johnson Control Automotive.
With an increased volume of 15% in these new longer semi-trailers, Acumen says it has already reduced the number of journeys made on behalf of Johnson Controls Automotive by three per week. This reduction equates to 63,000 miles per annum.
"We have been focusing on our environmental policy for a number of years and have attained ISO 19001 and ISO14001 accreditation", comments Chris Doughty, managing director at Acumen.
"Being chosen as part of these trials has enabled us to take our environmental aspirations one step further."
The freight and logistics division of the DfT (Department for Transport) has commissioned the study to examine the feasibility and impact of allowing longer semi-trailers to operate within the British road haulage market.
The primary objective of this study is to establish whether longer semi trailers will deliver overall economic, environmental and communal benefits.
