Cemex is adding 15 new tipper trucks with enhanced nearside visibility to its fleet following a successful trial of two modified vehicles.
The company has been working with Daf to develop the design of the new trucks, which should give drivers’ greater visibility of road users and pedestrians.
The order was prompted by a trial of two modified rigids by Cemex, which received positive driver feedback.
The two tippers were fitted with a glass panel to the bottom half of their nearside doors, known as the Vision door, which allowed the drivers to see the head and shoulders of anyone passing close to the vehicle.
The Vision door, measuring 50cm x 25cm, allows the driver to see vulnerable road users, such as cyclists and pedestrians, in their peripheral vision. It costs approximately £1,000 for a retrofit version.
Speaking to Freight in the City a Cemex spokeswoman said the trial had garnered approval from the company’s drivers, prompting the company to place the order with Daf.
“We think these vehicles will be of great benefit. The drivers all said the added visibility was a great benefit," she said.
However technical problems with the two modified tippers mean the company has yet to decide whether it will retrofit the Vision windows to its existing fleet.
The spokeswoman said: “We have had problems with the windows in the trial trucks. The key issue is that the window restricts movement of the door on the passenger side. We are working on that.”
The majority of the 15 new tippers will be assigned to Cemex’s 25-strong London fleet.
The spokeswoman added: “London is where the greatest concentration of cyclists is and an area of concern to us but we are also looking at putting some of the trucks in other areas with similar concerns, where extra visibility is needed.”