A new guide from the Public Authority Transport Network (PATN) and the Freight Transport Association (FTA) has been produced warning of the dangers of compaction systems that may not distribute waste evenly over both axles of RCVs.
”With different collections at different authorities and alternate collections the volume of waste collected is not a set rate any more “
– Phil Clifford, PATN
With the increasing use of RCVs to collect separated recyclable materials rather than just general refuse, material volumes can become unpredictable. If loads build up over one axle rather than across the whole vehicle, unintentional overloading can be caused, which can affect a vehicle's road-handling and general safety.
While dynamic control systems for collection vehicles are still in their infancy, the PATN and FTA are urging local authority officers to request such systems be added to their vehicles when they are available.
Phil Clifford, who represents local authorities as chair of the PATN, said that using such systems could also help to avoid underloading, which could also be a problem in RCVs.
Optimise
Mr Clifford, who is also an officer at St Edmundsbury borough council in Suffolk, said: “It is one thing to overload a truck but environmentally it isn't a good idea to greatly underload it either. This will lead to more trucks being needed which is obviously environmentally unsound. There is a need to optimise the load without overloading.”
A dynamic load system will use the on-board load weight data to control the density of the waste by automatic adjustment of the compaction equipment. The weight in the vehicle will be monitored and if an overload is sensed on one of the axles the waste will be moved so that it is more evenly spread. This is possible without the driver needing to change anything.
The report, entitled RCV Procurement and Operation Procedures, states: “Several manufacturers are working actively to design and produce mechanisms which link on-board weighing direct to the compaction/ejection control system of the body.
“Such systems will be able to not only avoid gross overloads but will also prevent axle overloads or, in case of front axles, potential underloads,” it added.
” Overloaded goods vehicles are damaging to roads and put road safety at risk.“
– Maurice Newy, VOSA
The report also recommends that companies purchasing new vehicles should request that the company provides a dynamic control loads system at a later date once systems are developed.
Alternate weekly
According to Mr Clifford, this system is especially necessary now that local authorities are offering alternate weekly collection for recyclables.
He said: “When refuse trucks were only collecting waste the density was generally the same across the country. With different collections at different authorities and alternate collections the volume of waste collected is not a set rate any more and a single truck's waste volume can be constantly changing.”
Mr Clifford also said that his council, St Edmundsbury borough council, which he is fleet and technical manager of, has an agreement with its vehicle supplier that will enable its vehicles to be upgraded with a dynamic control system when it is available. He said that the council were expecting to be able to add this facility in the summer.
Endorsed
The report has been endorsed by the Vehicle and Operator Service Agency (VOSA). Maurice Newy, chief executive of VOSA, said: “Overloaded goods vehicles are damaging to roads and put road safety at risk. They take longer to stop, handle less well and put much greater strain on their suspensions and tyres.
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“This best practice guide addresses all the complex issues associated with the avoidance of overloading while simultaneously running vehicles as close to maximum as possible. I believe it can make a real difference for those operators who adopt it and I am happy to endorse it,” he said.
Chris Ruane, sector head – local authorities and waste for FTA, said he was delighted that all the separate parties had come together to produce this report. He said: “This is a very important report and I believe it will be taken very seriously. It will also be of considerable use to manufacturers.”
For a full copy of the FTA/PATN report, RCV Procurement and Operation Procedures, email Chris Ruane at cruane@fta.co.uk.
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