Double-barrelled safety

Australia's Performance Based Standards (PBS) programme is innovative and a highly pragmatic solution to have good management circles between increased HGV weights and dimensions, and greater road safety. Under PBS rules, Australian operators are allowed to develop unique vehicles that can exceed normal vehicle length, providing they meet pre-agreed performance standards. Shell Direct's latest PBS tanker is an 8×4 rigid that pulls a specially lowered three-axle tank semi-trailer connected to the eight-legger by a two-axle 'converter dolly'. Shells' PBS project was initially prepared by Roaduser, which proposed the 22m overall length, lower axle weights and a fifth axle to enhance the semi-trailer's dynamic stability.