Double-deck Trailers: a Cost-benefit Model Estimating Environmental and Financial Savings

Purpose: Double-deck trailers could be a key contributor towards the UK’s commitment to reducing CO2 emissions towards 2020. A double-deck trailer greatly increases carrying capacity with current vehicle size and weight limits. Double-deck trailers are particularly well suited to retail distribution. This paper introduces a model that calculates the financial and environmental impact of deploying double-deck trailers on a specific set of routes. Research approach: Based on industry case studies a model is developed which captures the cost drivers of three double-deck scenarios involving the use of a movable-deck trailer and two fixed deck vehicles, one with a tail-lift and the other with an external lift. The case studies identified all the relevant cost drivers and the relationships between them. CO2 emissions are calculated using established methodologies and incorporated into the model. The relationships in the model were validated by comparing the findings with the Continuous Survey of Road Goods Transport data. Findings and Originality: The study is the first to quantify the comparative benefits of using fixed deck or moving-deck trailers from a financial point of view as well as considering CO2 emissions. The study confirms previous research highlighting the benefit of using double-deck against traditional single-deck distribution. Research impact: While currently not widely used, the study found that utilising fixed double-deck trailers is a viable option for many operations, especially in the retail sector. Practical impact: Given a set of routes to consider, the practitioner can easily compare the three scenarios, finding the most cost effective and most environmentally-friendly option. Existing double-deck users can benchmark their operation using the model. It is flexible enough to allow comparison of a wide range of distribution networks and routes.