AirRoad’s Innovative AB Triples Driving Improved Productivity
January 2020: Building on an unmatched reputation for service and efficiency, AirRoad, has been successfully running custom AB-Triples as part of its linehaul operations between Adelaide and Perth. At 42 metres in length, the new combinations are amongst the longest AB Triples on Australian roads. Other transport operators are beginning to follow suit, as they strive to gain more efficiencies in their operations.
The new AB Triple combination has a total capacity of 283 cubic metres (136 pallet spaces). The revised configuration includes larger link and A trailers, allowing it to carry approximately 20% more freight than its previous B-Triples. AirRoad also uses its own, custom-designed, rigid body B Trailers in its linehaul operations. These trailers feature air-ride suspension, twin decks and have a larger cubic capacity than other standard trailers.
The company’s Managing Director, Malcolm Thorpe, believes that the new configuration will benefit both the business and its clients. “AirRoad is always looking at ways to improve our operational efficiency, and we’ve been working on our linehaul vehicles for a while now. The new AB Triple will help us carry 20% more freight per trip with only a marginal increase in fuel consumption. The overall reduction in trip numbers will help improve our, as well as our clients’, environmental performance.”
Operating procedures on the new combination will help freight handlers at AirRoad’s depots load faster and more efficiently. Thorpe explains, “One notable difference between our previous B-Triples and the new AB-Triples is the flexibility in loading, as the new combination has an increased GCM of 20 tons. Innovations like these help improve our operational performance and maintain our position as a leading edge Australian transport business.”
For the new configuration, AirRoad has chosen a Kenworth K200 King Cab prime mover with driver comfort and room in mind. The new combination operates under a mandatory Performance Based Standard (PBS) permit as well a route monitored by the Intelligent Access Program (IAP).
Key Facts: AirRoad AB Triple
– Length: 42 metres
– Tare weight: 44,870 kgs
– Gross Combination Mass (GCM): 97,000 kgs
– Payload: 52,000 kgs
– Capacity: 136 pallet spaces in total (including all mezzanine floors), 283 m3
