Road Trains, What are They?

We’ve all seen the abundance of trucks on the road, moving to make the world go round, but have you ever seen a road train? In this article, we’ll discuss road trains, what they are, and how they function. 

Aimed to be more efficient than a regular truck, road trains are composed of two or more trailers hauled by a large tractor unit called the prime mover. They were first used as traction engines pulling multiple wagons, found in South Australia during the mid 19th century. Mainly remaining prevalent in Australia, the modern road train came from mechanic Kurt Johannsen in 1936 who was challenged to move over 100 cows around 200 miles instead of the normal load of 20 cows. 

In modern day Australia, these road trains can weigh up to 200 tonnes and are built durable enough to withstand intense weather and rocky roads. Different sizes dependent on the amount of trailers being carried are limited to certain regions of Australia. The largest triple trailer road trains tend to operate in western Australia such as parts of South Wales and Queensland. 

We hope you found this information on road trains interesting and gave you more insight into the world of trucking! At CB Radio Supply, we are here for all your radio needs and offer a wide range of customer service! Our free domestic US shipping and hassle-free returns is our guarantee you’ll be satisfied with your choices. Give us a call to speak with our expert staff today!