Three trailer combination trucks will roll into south west Queensland’s town of Roma during daylight hours for the first time on Sunday.
Type 2 road train access was tested last year and recently gained the Department of Transport and Main Roads approval for three trailer trucks to drive past Mitchell, 90 kilometres west of Roma, all day on Sundays.
Livestock and Rural Transporters Association of Queensland’s south west delegate, David Scott, said a truck driver can now bring an extra two decks of cattle in to the Roma Saleyards on a Sunday.
“It will increase the efficiency of truck transport for livestock producers and help improve the profitability for cattle truck businesses,” Mr Scott said.
“It’s good to see the highly productive trucks being utilised more due to Type 2 road train truck access into Roma all day Sunday.”
Previously, Type 2 trucks could only travel past Mitchell between 6pm to 5:30am each day.
It’s estimated an extra 100 to 110 head of 400 kilogram feeder cattle can be transported into Roma Saleyards by each Type 2 truck.
Mr Scott added the Livestock and Rural Transporters Association of Queensland is currently lobbying the Queensland Government for AB-triple road train truck access all the way to Toowoomba, which is equivalent to a five cattle deck truck unit.
Despite this week’s Roma store cattle sale being cancelled, Watkins & Co Roma livestock agent Jimmy Green said the saleyards would benefit long term from improved cattle truck road access.
“It’s far better for people selling cattle at Roma Saleyards to be able to send six decks of cattle straight into the yards,” Mr Green said.
“I also believe it’s much better for livestock’s health and welfare if they are brought directly into the saleyards, rather than cross loading and waiting on truck trailers.”
