Veteran Queensland politician wants the state to open its road network up to innovative C-train combinations. But engineers aren’t impressed
By Brad Gardner | August 24, 2012
Veteran Queensland MP Vaughan Johnson wants the state to open up its road network to the innovative C-train truck combination used in Western Australia.
Johnson has held meetings with Queensland Transport and Main Roads Minister Scott Emerson and his department to spruik the benefits of the vehicle, used by WA-based company Mitchell’s Transport.
Owner John Mitchell says the 27.5-metre long vehicle has a total mass of 93.5 tonnes with a 20 percent greater carrying capacity than a B-double.
Johnson says Emerald Carrying Company is looking to introduce C-trains but engineers at Transport and Main Roads are concerned the state’s bridges will not be able to support them.
“They are trying to implement those C-train operations but, because of the triple dollies, they are not going to be allowed on our bridge structures because of the inferior quality of those structures in question,” Johnson says.
“C-trains are an innovative idea from John Mitchell of Mitchell’s Transport in Western Australia and I believe we will see them introduced into this state when this LNP Newman government gets those bridges upgraded and gets the road infrastructure upgraded so that we can be the model heavy transport state in Australia.”
Johnson says C-trains will allow Emerald Carrying Company to increase its diesel carrying capacity by almost 12,000 litres with each trip.
“That will take 25 percent of those fuel-carrying configurations off the road. So that creates a safer environment straight away. But it comes back to one thing and that is dollars.”
Johnson made the comments during the passage of the Heavy Vehicle National Law Bill and used his speech to also highlight the skills of truck drivers operating BAB quads, B-doubles and AB-triples.
“They are regarded as experts in their field, which they are… They should be accorded the accolades they deserve for their professionalism – no different from the professionalism displayed by a neurosurgeon or a heart surgeon,” he says.
“The men and women who drive these configurations are at the forefront of delivering a safe road transport industry in Queensland and a safe road transport industry across Australia.”
