Arrow Transport Runs First A-Triple Road Train Trial at Port of Brisbane
Arrow Transport has completed a successful A-triple road train trial operating in and around the Port of Brisbane, becoming the first operator to run the high-productivity container combination out of the port under Australia’s Performance Based Standards (PBS) framework.
Arrow Transport A-triple road train operating at the Port of Brisbane during its PBS-approved container trial.
The trial focused on moving both full and empty containers between key Port of Brisbane partners, consolidating freight movements into a single trip. The A-triple configuration was capable of transporting six 20-foot containers, or three 40-foot containers, at a time.
Operating under the PBS scheme, A-triple combinations are assessed against a series of safety and performance criteria—including low-speed swept path, high-speed off-tracking, braking performance and stability—rather than relying solely on prescriptive length and mass limits. This allows higher-productivity vehicle combinations to operate where infrastructure, route access and vehicle design support safe outcomes.
PBS-approved combinations
Arrow Transport said the A-triple trial demonstrated how PBS-approved combinations can improve freight efficiency while reducing the number of prime movers required for container transfer tasks. Fewer truck movements through the port precinct also translate to reduced congestion and lower emissions per container moved.
Vawdrey skel trailers in PBS A-triple road train configuration at Port of Brisbane
Powering the combination was a road-train-rated Mercedes-Benz Actros 2653, fitted with a high-efficiency 13-litre engine producing 530hp and paired with a 12-speed automated manual transmission (AMT). The prime mover hauled a set of Vawdrey skel trailers engineered to meet PBS performance requirements for high-productivity container transport.
Queensland State Manager Jason Gadd said the trial highlighted the role that well-designed PBS combinations can play in improving port logistics.
“This trial showed how higher-productivity vehicles can safely and reliably move more freight in fewer trips,” Gadd said. “That delivers real benefits for operators, the port supply chain and the wider community.”
The A-triple trial was conducted with the support of the Port of Brisbane, the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) and York Engineering, which assisted with the PBS design, assessment and approval process.
Arrow Transport said the success of the trial reinforces the potential for PBS-approved A-triple combinations to play a greater role in container logistics, particularly in controlled port environments where access, infrastructure and operating conditions can be carefully managed.
A road-train-rated Mercedes-Benz Actros 2653 heads up Arrow Transport’s A-triple container combination.
