August 2025 Newsletter
Free circulation of all types of B-doubles on Argentine National Roads
The Argentine Government has authorized free circulation for all types of B-double vehicle configurations on the entire National Road Network. Resolution 1196/2025, published August 19th, 2025, eliminates time restrictions and the requirement to request specific corridors, allowing all B-doubles up to 75-ton and 30.25 meters, 9 axles to travel on almost the entire National Road Network. You have to give it to semantics, the resolution replaced the “positive exclusion” practice (which restricted circulation to specific approved corridors) with the “negative exclusion” principle (free circulation, except on few sections of the network, where a permit will be needed to be required).
Up to now, the only ones with free circulation were the “pocket” 7 axle, 20meter 60ton. Many of those circulate in la Puna, in very harsh conditions. For more information, please read the HVTT April 2025 newsletter.
Other types of B-doubles have been circulating in San Luis province since 2008, and in the whole of Argentina since January 2018. Not that anyone else, other than those who know what they are, has noticed. These are pictures taken from my car (as a passenger!) of a 25.50m B-double going out of Buenos Aires city at peak hour.
Or a 30.25m 9 axle one (yeah I do travel a lot) on the motorway that goes from the port of Buenos Aires to where the car manufacturers are, 800km away.
It should be noted that this is the third national government which have praised and regulated B-double circulation in Argentina in the past 11 years. The 3 of different political colour. Most of the active and passive safety technologies requested as compulsory for this configuration and its good implementation has shown that the B-double is one of the safest configurations travelling on any type of road in the country. We hope the provincial governments get onboard next.
Talking to one of my mates with whom we worked in the Uruguayan “VAD” legislation, we agreed that the name “bitren” was the wrong one and the High Performance Vehicle (VAD in Spanish) was a much better one. Mainly because with that VAD name, Uruguay has B-doubles, triples and other configurations to come.
I would like to take the opportunity to thank once again Australian Bob Pearson, the “father of the B-doubles”, and all those who together, some now retired, had the conviction that a more sustainable and safe road transportation in Argentina is possible.
If you were lucky enough to come to the HVTT13 conference in San Luis and drove one of the B-doubles available, you know how it feels. Just great.
Have a lovely week all,
Dr. Alejandra Efron
HVTT Vice President South and Central America
