Eddie Stobart boss Andrew Tinkler is due to meet with DfT officials on 6 August in a bid to get on-road trials for longer trucks. Tinkler has already briefed advisers to Gordon Brown about his concept, which is for a trailer that is 950mm longer than a regular semi-trailer and equipped with a rear-steer axle to maintain the current turning circle.
Tinkler believes if it is adopted, then the industry would see an average load-fill improvement of around 10%, benefiting hauliers by a total of £9bn per year.
The meeting is further evidence that the government is warming to the concept although it rejected the idea of longer, heavier 
vehicles earlier this year, the DfT did indicate a willingness to examine the possibility of longer trailers, such as Kögel's 14.9m Big-MAXX. Tinkler says that the integration of the former Innovate Logistics business is "going well" and it is examining ways of taking waste out of the operation.