New TRT ESS modular platform trailer makes light work of huge moves
18 November 2025
PTS Logistics was recently tasked with transporting 12 bridge beams, each measuring 26 metres long, as part of the Gillingham Road bridge replacement project in New Zealand.
Operating from eight locations across New Zealand, PTS Logistics has a sizeable fleet of over 300 trucks, used across various divisions of the business.
Just over a year ago, the business took delivery of a state-of-the-art ESS Modular Platform Trailer from TRT. Its exceptional manoeuvrability has since unlocked new opportunities, enabling access to areas that were previously unreachable.
PTS Logistics Project Co-ordinator Jarvis Miller, who is also a mechanical engineer by trade, organises many of the company’s biggest moves, including wind farm and infrastructure projects. The son of a truckie, he also likes to get back behind the wheel any chance he gets.
PTS Logistics Project Co-ordinator Jarvis Miller.
For the Gillingham Road project, the beams were transported around 40 kilometres from Marsden Point to Whangarei. While all measuring 26-metres long, the beams varied in weight, with the heaviest being 42.7 tonne.
While PTS has other TRT heavy haulage trailers in the fleet, this is the first to incorporate TRT’s patented Electronic Steering System – or ESS – which provides all-axle electronic steering at up to 45 degrees, with six individual steering modes.
“We choose to go with the TRT ESS Modular Platform trailer because of its steering capabilities and its ability to handle the weight,” said Jarvis.
“With this trailer, we can lift any axle, and we can remote steer every axle individually. Quite often with tight manoeuvring, we’ll have a trailer operator at the rear with the remote, and he takes control of the trailer, so the driver can just concentrate on what they’re doing. This allows the operator to crab steer, pitch steer or individually steer each axle.
“There is also a screen in the cab that allows you to control all the axles too. It tells you all of the wheel positions. It’s pretty clever technology.”
A total of 12 bridge beams were moved for the project.
The ESS Modular Platform trailer can be broken down into modules to suit the load being carried. “It’s just like a Meccano set,” said Jarvis,” adding that the trailer can also widen from 3.5 to 4.5 metres.
To transport the bridge beams, the trailer was broken down into two modules, with one on either end supporting the weight of the load, and a lattice in the middle for additional support of the beams.
“We had a two-axle lead trailer with a 10-metre beam section in the centre, and then a four-axle rear section. These modular trailers can clip and play in any position,” said Jarvis.
For the bridge beam moves, around 40 per cent of the travel was on residential streets. “In terms of access, if it wasn’t a steerable trailer, we wouldn’t be able to get in there,” Jarvis added.
“We’ve had steerable trailers before but not full remote control electronic steering, so they are nowhere near as manoeuvrable as this trailer. That also creates less resistance on the wheels when taking tight corners. You’re not damaging your tyres or risking damage to the road, and it isn’t as hard on the gear either.”
Along with the ESS capabilities, TRT’s Quick Connect feature is another big advantage for PTS.
“Generally, when you’re setting trailers up for particular jobs, it can take between one to two days to assemble and prepare the gear; whereas with the Quick Connect coupling, it means we can put the trailer together in about half an hour. It’s a huge time saving.”
ESS provides all-axle electronic steering at up to 45 degrees.
Jarvis pointed to a recent move as an example. “We recently had a move from Palmerston North, which is about 550 kilometres out of Auckland, to Wellington. So, we went down there with the trailer disassembled and stacked, saving us on pilots and manpower. This meant we only needed one pilot vehicle instead of three,” he said.
“Then when we got there, we put the trailer together in the configuration required in about 45 minutes – so the travel time, assembly and the move took about 9 hours all up. If we were using a conventional trailer, it would have taken up to two days.”
The ESS Modular Platform trailer also comes into its own doing jobs for the forestry industry. “We do a lot of forestry moves that require transporting equipment into some of the most difficult places – which often, we can’t access with the truck and trailer. So, they’d have to walk the equipment into position for hours and hours. But with the steering capabilities of the ESS, we can go right up to the skid, saving our customers up to a day of manual labor,” explained Jarvis.
Though he admits that he was a little sceptical before he tried the ESS and Quick Connect coupling features, now that he’s used them and seen the benefits, Jarvis told Big Rigs, “I don’t know why we didn’t go down this path a long time ago!”
For enquiries about TRT’s ESS Modular Platform Trailers, contact Jeremy Carden at +64 27 354 0329 or email jeremyc@trt.co.nz.