Posted by : attorney stevelee

33-Foot Twin Trailers Pros and Cons

Due to the rapid growth of e-commerce, the logistics of freight delivery are continuously evolving. One proposal intended to help trucking companies cope with these changes involves allowing twin 33-foot trailers to populate America’s highways.

Larger Trailer Advantages

Less-than-truckload freight carriers, including FedEx, UPS, and Amazon, claim that allowing twin 33-foot trailers will increase safety by:

  • Removing trucks from the road. Upgrading from the current twin 28-foot trailers to 33-foot units would allow an extra five feet of space in each trailer. This change permits carriers to fit more of their cargo into each trailer, reducing the number of trucks needed to haul cargo. While these trucks would weigh more on average, they still wouldn’t exceed the current limit. According to industry leaders, permitting twin 33-foot trailers on interstate highways would lead to 6.6 million fewer trips and 1.3 billion fewer miles traveled.
  • Improved stability. Due to their longer wheelbase, 33-foot twin trailer configurations are inherently more stable in heavy wind than twin 28-foot trailers. This added stability makes them safer in both straight line driving and while cornering.

Larger Trailer Drawbacks

While an extra five feet per trailer might not sound like much, this adds more than a full passenger car length to commercial vehicles that are already huge. Safety concerns related to larger trucks include:

  • Longer stopping distances. The distance required to stop a truck depends on inertia, which is determined by the vehicle’s total weight and speed. According to estimates from the U.S. Department of Transportation, twin 33-foot trucks require an extra 22 feet to stop than twin 28-foot trailer trucks do.
  • Larger road presence. Motorists in smaller vehicles may find longer trucks even more intimidating to pass, and these extended trailers would swing out four feet wider than current trailers do.

All Trucks are Dangerous

Regardless of length, all commercial trucks are capable of causing serious injuries in the event of a collision. If you were hurt due to a truck accident, you need an experienced attorney to help you receive the compensation you deserve.

To learn more, contact the law offices of Steve M. Lee, P.C., by clicking the Live Chat button on this page.

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