German haulier Kolbe Spedition has one Big-MAXX on its fleet. "We desperately want more, but there are no permits left," says company owner Karl Theil. He is incredibly enthusiastic about the trailer, and wishes he could replace his entire fleet of 40 semis and 15 drawbars with them. It gets the thumbs-up from the driver too, although he admits it requires extra concentration in urban areas.
He says the only comments he gets are from other truck drivers, and never from the general public.
He believes the average motorist would not notice the extra length. This view is echoed by a report written by the University of Aachen, which claims that as a rule motorists do not notice the extra length. It goes on to praise the vehicle's stability, good handling ability, manoeuvrability, profitability and positive impact on the environment.
One phenomenon that Theil struggles to understand is how the Big-MAXX is the most fuel-efficient vehicle on the fleet. "The driver is good, but he's not the best we have and the tractor is the same as the others," he says. "Big-MAXX needs to be pushed in Europe. This industry desperately needs a longer trailer. It's not just a nice thing to have, it's a necessity."
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