Extended route network for long trucks in Germany
Long trucks can drive on additional routes since 29 December 2017 in Germany. With the 8th amendment to the field test for long trucks, the Federal Ministry of Transport (BMVI) is extending the network by the routes reported by the federal states. It now covers 15 federal states.
Since January 1, 2017, long trucks can operate in route-based continuous operation on the basis of the existing network. The federal states continuously check the route requirements of interested companies for suitability and report them to the federal government. The route network is updated on this basis by the BMVI. This is done in the context of an amending regulation.
The most important innovations of the current 8th Amendment Ordinance are:
Rhineland-Palatinate and Saarland are reporting routes for the first time. Both countries also permit the nationwide use of the so-called extended semi-trailer (long truck type 1).
In Saxony-Anhalt, the extended semi-trailer may now travel nationwide. So far, this was not allowed there.
North Rhine-Westphalia has for the first time reported its own routes for all long-truck types. So far, only Type 1 was allowed there.
The existing time limit for the approval of the long truck type 2 can be abolished. After carrying out further investigations by the Federal Highway Research Institute (BASt), this type of vehicle can now also be permanently driven on the positive network in Germany.
The final report of BASt on the field test with long trucks was published in autumn 2016. Key findings of the report are:
Two long truck trips replace three trips with conventional trucks
Efficiency gains and fuel savings between 15 per cent and 25 per cent
No increased maintenance costs for the infrastructure
No displacement effects from the rail to the road