21 February 2011 The side loading refuse collection vehicle (RCV) was invented to enable commercial contractors in the wide open spaces of America and Australia to reduce the collection costs - especially in terms of manual labour - when collecting domestic waste from low-density suburban housing.
And until recently, that is where the argument has rested - conventional rear end loaders are portrayed as the best machine operated by municipal authorities (communes) in highly populated urban areas, while side loaders may win in more affluent districts where there is space to leave wheeled waste containers by the kerbside for the primarily one-man-operated side loader to pick-up.
But the results of some new thinking by Dutch manufacturer Translift BV could help change those traditional, well-entrenched viewpoints. Translift already has a range of sideloading RCVs in production - including the versatile 'Plus', fitted with a 'girth grabber' which is indeed designed for one-man operation, collecting 240 litre domestic bins.
But as Malcolm Bates reports in the March/April issue of Waste Management World, the arguments in favour of side loaders have just got... Well, twice as interesting.
"I've recently spent a shift driving a Dutch-built Translift 'E-Maxx', mounted on a German-built Mercedes Econic 6x2 rear steer chassis on an urban collection round in Lancashire, UK, explains Malcolm.
"As a confirmed cynic as to the value of the sideloader, I'd always assumed sideloaders would be far slower than rear end loaders in the higher density housing found in most European member states," he continues.
"But after a day working with the Translift, I've had to re-examine several of my arguments - especially as the Translift 'Varia Split' is equipped with a bin lifter system on each side of the vehicle, so it can work both sides of the street at one pass." Malcolm adds.
Like most sideloaders, both the E-Maxx and the new 'Varia-Split' offer the advantages of demountable body 'pods'. These hooklift/ISO containers are ideal for multi-modal operation, but on a more macro scale, working with radio-equipped hooklift transport trucks, ensure the sideloader can be kept working 'on station' for longer period - rather than wasting time driving across town to the waste transfer site.
"This is a significant operational advantage that isn't currently available on rear end loader RCVs," Malcolm concludes.
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