Explain the 60-ton mega-trucks to us

The European Parliament votes on Tuesday on a text which could open the circulation of mega-trucks throughout the European Union. Imposing and potentially dangerous vehicles, opponents denounce.

These mega-trucks are trucks that we have not yet seen in France. Their size is reminiscent of very large vehicles that can travel on American or Australian roads. In Australia, we call it “road trains”, “road trains”. In France, the size of trucks is a maximum of 18.75 meters 75, with a maximum weight of 44 tonnes.

But in certain European countries, in Scandinavia, the Netherlands or Spain, they can measure up to 25 meters long and weigh up to 60 tonnes, sometimes with two trailers attached. These are the vehicles that the European Parliament plans to run in Europe on Tuesday March 12, if the text is voted on. This project wants to allow these mega-trucks to cross European countries more freely, because currently, for a vehicle of more than 40 tonnes to cross a border, an agreement between the two countries concerned is required. Without this agreement, crossing the border is prohibited.

“Not a good message”, according to opponents

The text still provides for impact studies to be carried out on road safety, infrastructure and the environment. Supporters of this reform claim that with longer trucks, the number of heavy goods vehicles on the road will fall, as will pollution.

But opponents, particularly in France, believe that these vehicles would be dangerous and not suitable for our infrastructure. In the Nordic countries, there are long straight lines, and much fewer roundabouts than in France. The braking distance of these trucks is longer and these mega-trucks would also wear out the roads much more quickly, which are not necessarily suitable for this type of machine. Finally, opponents believe that this is sending the wrong message, when we know that rail freight, rail-road transport, is really much less polluting.