Solar cells at Bernaards Transport

Solar cells at Bernaards Transport

Bernaards Transport from Halsteren, founded in 1907, is a family business specialising in groupage, especially towards Paris. Janno de Boer, workshop manager and responsible for fleet management, tells us about Bernaards Transport and about the solar cells recently fitted to the trucks.

Specialisation and method

‘At Bernaards, we specialise in groupage, which means we collect goods from different customers and transport them all at once. Anything that fits on a pallet, we can transport. From toilet paper to chips, for example for supermarket distribution centres,’ Janno says. Bernaards Transport has its own modern workshop where all maintenance is carried out on the trucks, trailers and other transport equipment. With four mechanics in the workshop, they make sure their fleet remains in perfect condition.

Sustainability and innovation

The company tries to procure the best and most durable materials for the job. ‘Electrification and hydrogen are hot topics, but because of the long distances we travel, it is not feasible at the moment. There are no fixed routes and since we cannot use fixed charging points then it becomes difficult,’ Janno explains. ‘However, we are keeping a close eye on developments and will switch to sustainable alternatives as soon as possible.’

Use of solar cells

One of the most recent innovations at Bernaards Transport is the installation of solar cells on the trucks. ‘Our trucks have more and more power-consuming appliances, such as standard air conditioners and coffee machines. This often leads to engine idling, which costs a lot of fuel. Solar cells can keep the batteries charged and prevent start-up problems,’ said Janno. Of the 56 trucks, 10 now have solar cells, and the plan is to expand this.

‘We want to equip all internationally operating trucks, which is 35, with solar cells. The first ones have been in operation since September 2023, so we expect to see the real results in the coming summer.’ Nevertheless, some nice results can already be seen now: ‘A driver was on holiday the other day and normally on his return he had start-up problems. However, now, because of the solar cells on the roof, he didn’t suffer from them anymore. Surely this provides more convenience and time savings.’