What are mega trucks

Longer and heavier trucks (LHVs) are known by several harmless sounding names – Gigaliner, EuroCombi, EcoLiner, innovative commercial vehicle. A lot of names that all have just one purpose: increasing the permitted dimensions and weight of heavy goods vehicles right across the European Union. If manufacturers and major road haulage companies get their way, these trucks will measure 25.25 metres and weigh up to 60 tonnes.

Heavy goods vehicles have to conform to maximum dimension and weight limits if they want to cross European internal borders. Currently, the maximum permitted length is 18.25 metres with a total combined weight of 40 tonnes. But proponents of the new mega trucks want them to be 6.5 metres longer and 20 tonnes heavier. By comparison: a Boeing 737-300 that is fully loaded and carrying its maximum of 127 passengers weighs a maximum of 57.6 tonnes at take-off, making it lighter than a 'Gigaliner'.

Longer, but not heavier?

The mega truck lobby has recently floated the idea of a 'long liner'. It would have a length of 25.25 metres but it would weigh 'only' between 40 and 50 tonnes. The real reason behind putting the focus on increased length as opposed to weight is that the latest studies have show that 60 tonne vehicles would put considerable strain on road infrastructure, particularly on bridges. The enormous costs of the damage to road infrastructure have frightened politicians.