Platooning – driving in convoys – is not
only good for road safety and the environment; it can also
transport company an extra million euros a year. This is according to a
white paper on truck platooning published by the TNO research institute.
Lorries travelling 1 second
save around ten per cent on fuel consumption and CO₂ emissions. Even
the lead lorry would save 8 per cent thanks to reduced air resistance. TNO
compared a single truck, using
cruise control, with a convoy of two lorries. This shows that a company
spends 6,000 euros less on fuel costs each year.
An extra million euros in revenue
But that’s not the only benefit: transport companies could
by as much as 1 million euros. TNO has reached this conclusion based on three
logistics companies: Peter Appel Transport, De Winter Logistics and ECT.
Assuming a convoy of two lorries, Peter Appel Transport could,
using 35 lorries and 169,500 man-hours,
achieve a maximum annual revenue of 1,128,800 euros if one lorry
can operate unmanned. In some cases, a
driver on the second lorry. This was the case during the demonstration in Zwolle. In this situation,
a turnover of 463,500 euros can be achieved. De Winter Logistics can,
expect to generate over 838 thousand euros in additional
revenue.
Editorial LogistiekProfs
