Increasing fleet efficiency requires both purchasing more efficient trailers and making better use of current trailers. One option for addressing these issues is to purchase curtain side from curtain manufacturers. Flexibility and making the most of what you already have are required when fine-tuning the fleet mix to suit the freight demands of any given day&#;let alone the unknown future. You're not operating at optimal efficiency if your fleet includes too many flatbeds merely taking up space on the lot waiting for a rare big cargo or a conventional van trailer that sits idle because shipments require side-loading.
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Types of efficiency offered by curtain side trailer
Time efficiency
Efficiency is mostly measured in terms of time. At each stop, tarping open flatbed loads adds roughly an hour of non-driving time. Purchasing a curtain side from a fabric curtain manufacturer eliminates the need for tarping. It allows for quick handling of flatbed-style freight. A curtain side trailer has expanded access, making ordinary freight loading and unloading time-saving, simplified procedure, allowing for simultaneous entry from the dock through the back door.
Use efficiency
Efficiency also depends on the use of trucks when they're on the road. After a long journey, deadheading an empty trailer home wastes fuel money for every mile travelled. It's also a hint of profit potential you passed up early in the process. These choices are possible with curtain side trailers since your drivers have constant access to the full trailer. When the retractable curtain is pulled back, all shipments are accessible from the front, back, and both sides of the trailer, allowing the driver to add backhauls without hindering access to shipments awaiting delivery.
On paper efficiency
Paying for maintenance and insurance on equipment that does not pay you back is not an efficient plan; investing in curtain side trailers that can transition from open flatbed loads to enclosed van goods and back in a matter of seconds improves your bottom line. It also allows you to service a wider range of customers while also reducing the total size of your fleet by combining many flatbeds and vans into a smaller number of curtain side trailers. This lowers your maintenance and insurance costs while also giving you more yard space. To add on paper efficiency, ensure you buy a quality curtain from a curtain manufacturer.
Benefits of using curtain side trailers:
No tarp is required
Federal authorities demand cargo carried by curtain sides trailers to be tied down, most loads can be secured using straps. Drivers spend more time driving than dealing with a tarp, and they work in a safer environment.
Easy partial shipments
The tarp trailers had a limitation of first on and final of which is no longer an issue with curtain side trailers. Multiple drop loads can be easily done from a single trailer due to independent access to all load sections at any point along a route.
Quick loading and unloading
When the curtains are drawn back, numerous forklifts can simultaneously access the trailer from all sides as well as the back door. Drivers are in and out in a flash and back on the road.
Curtainside trailers are more effective than tarpaulin trailers. Purchasing a quality curtain from a fabric curtain manufacturer will help save time, money and optimize your trailer usage.
Transportation is an industry full of equipment types. So many equipment types, in fact, that it can sometimes be difficult to understand the use-case of each.
Matching the right trailer to your load is important for facilitating your supply chain.
Yet doing so only gets more challenging with so many options in the mix.
Curtainside trailers are an example of this. This class of semi-trailers is designed for a specific purpose. And, when used correctly, curtainside trailers can become a sound transportation solution.
But what is a curtainside trailer? What are they used most commonly for? And what, if anything, are the limitations of this specialized trailer type?
If you&#;re looking to add additional trailer options to your logistics procedures, curtainsides may fit the bill. However, it&#;s important to have all of the right information before making any decisions.
Contact us to discuss your requirements of curtain side van trailer. Our experienced sales team can help you identify the options that best suit your needs.
So, let&#;s go over many of the key details you need to understand about curtainside trailers so you can decide, definitively, whether they will meet your company&#;s needs.
What is a Curtainside Trailer?
A curtainside trailer is a specialized semi-trailer that has a rigid framework mounted onto a flatbed or flat-deck trailer.
Curtainside trailers are comprised of a firmly bolstered front, which features an entry door, horizontal roof supports running the trailer&#;s length, a metal constructed roof (similar to a dry van&#;s), two swing-open rear doors and a sliding tarp system &#; typically made from an 18-ounce (or similar) material.
The tarps on either side of the curtainside trailer can be retracted for loading, sliding in a similar fashion as the tarps on a Conestoga trailer.
Not to be confused with a Conesoga (though they commonly are), curtainside trailers are different in a number of ways. Most notably, curtainsides only feature tarps on two sides (the left and right). Conestogas have a larger curtain system which creates its roof and rear as well.
Additionally, curtainside trailers feature a far more rigid framework than Conestogas do. The roof of a curtainside trailer is immobile and not retractable &#; the same cannot be said of Conestogas.
Curtainside trailers come in both 48 and 53-foot variations. Here is a list of the maximum cargo dimensions for this trailer type.
Maximum Cargo Dimensions For Curtainside Trailers
Maximum Cargo Width
8 feet, 4 inches (100")
Maximum Cargo Height
8 feet (96")
Maximum Cargo Length
48 and 53 feet
Maximum Cargo Weight
40,000-43,000 pounds
Note: Maximum cargo dimensions will change based on the make and model of the trailer on your load. Always consult a trusted transportation provider for your exact trailer's dimensions.
How are Curtainside Trailers Commonly Used?
Curtainside trailers can be used for any freight that requires protection from the elements during transport &#; provided it can be loaded from the side or back.
Products that fit this mold include, but are not limited to, many palletized commodities, raw materials (such as lumber, steel and iron) and moisture-sensitive machinery.
Additionally, since these trailers provide such great protection, traditional dry van commodities like food and beverage freight, general retail goods and hospitality-industry items (to name a few) are also hauled in them.
What Are the Pros and Cons of Using a Curtainside Trailer?
Like any other trailer type, curtainside trailers have a unique list of pros and cons users should be aware of. Compared to its closest alternative, the Conestoga trailer, curtainsides boast the following list of pros and cons:
Advantages of using a curtainside trailer over a Conestoga:
- Better protection from the elements thanks to its tight seams and hard top.
- The durability of an aluminum roof.
Disadvantages of using a curtainside trailer over a Conestoga:
- Curtainsides are heavier, which makes it more challenging to move high-weight, full truckload volumes.
- Due to their rigid framework, curtainside trailers can only be loaded from the sides via forklift or from the back. Loading using an overhead crane won&#;t be possible.
Looking For Protection From The Elements? Here&#;s Another Alternative!
Like Conestoga trailers, curtainsides are a relatively unique trailer type, making them difficult to find in some markets and driving up the cost of using one. Sure, curtainside trailers provide excellent protection from the elements and reduce instances of cargo damage during transit, but, in many situations, you simply don&#;t need one.
Tarping your open-deck freight will leave you with far more solutions to source from, cutting down the rates you pay in many instances.
That said, using tarps instead of one of these more specialized trailers will be a decision that is, once again, based on research.
Read this article which provides all of the information needed for deciding whether tarping your freight makes the most sense for your company.
And, after completing it, feel free to reach out to us with any questions you may have. We&#;re always happy to help you in any way you need.
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