This study investigates the road safety aspects of the 4-TEU-Truck. The 4-TEU-Truck has been used for the transport of empty containers in the Rotterdam harbour area since the year 1993. The total length of the truck, linked to two more or less standard trailers, is 30 meter. An exemption has been granted for this unusual combination, since the current legislation does not permit motor vehicles longer than 18 meter on public roads. The study included a literature study, traffic observations, and interviews. The literature study shows that the restrictions imposed abroad with regard to driving overlength vehicle combinations do not deviate significantly from those specified for the 4-TEU-Truck. None of the observations of the 4-TE U-Truck carried out detected conflicts with respect to road safety. Disruptions to traffic flow were only noted at one intersection. Regarding warning signals for the 4-TEU-Truck, the use of flashing lights should be discontinued in favour of clearly visible warning signs. The proposed expansion with a relatively small number of 4-TEU-Trucks is not considered problematical for road safety.
Abstract