Do You Need Help With Choosing A Trailer Type?

trailer type
January 18, 2020

Are you an over the road shipper? When deciding on which trailer type to use for your shipping, how do you choose? There are refrigerated trailers, flatbeds, dry vans, and more. Both disadvantages and advantages to each transportation mode exist where the carrier and the shipper are concerned. How do you know which one will work best for you? There are number of things that should be considered to determine your options.

The three just-mentioned trailers are the most commonly used (refrigerated, flatbed, dry van). To help you find which options are best for you, you’ll want to have a better understanding of freight shipping and how it relates to each trailer.

Let’s take a look at some of the pluses and some of the minuses where the trailer types mentioned above are concerned.

Refrigerated Trailers

Dry vans (see below) and refrigerated trailers/trucks look very similar. The big difference exists in the tools used for the regulation of temperature. During transit, to keep freight under specified conditions, the inside of these trailers can be set to precise temperatures.

Pluses:

  • Freight is protected from damage, spoilage, theft, and weather.
  • Inside temperatures can be monitored.
  • Both dry freight and temperature sensitive freight can be transported.
  • Art pieces, flowers, beverages, food, and more can be safely transported.

Minuses

  • You won’t know what’s going on with the shipment if you don’t have tracking trailer conditions.
  • They can take a long time to unload and load.
  • Products can spoil (or be damaged) if there is a breakdown in the cooling system or damage occurs.

Flatbeds

Large equipment and heavy machinery are commonly moved in these oversized, open freight trailers.

Pluses:

  • According to your shipping needs, you can find the right trailer because there are many types of flatbeds.
  • These are your best option if you deliver irregularly shaped cargo or bulky loads.
  • Easy to load.

Minuses:

  • During bad weather conditions, it can be extremely complicated to secure and haul oversized loads.
  • Shipments can be negatively affected because of external impact.
  • Because unsecured freight is dangerous, loads must be secured properly.
  • Higher rates may apply because of the special maneuvering and hauling skills required to transport oversized loads.

Dry Vans

“Dry” cargo is moved in these enclosed boxes also referred to as box trailers. For freight, these are the safest trailers. If specific temperatures need to be held by freight, however, the previously-described refrigeration trailers are better.

Pluses:

  • Route choices and shipment schedules are more flexible because both long halls and short hauls are done in dry vans. 
  • Your freight is protected during transit against theft, damage, bad weather, etc.
  • This is a good option for almost anything as long as you’re not transporting perishable, oversized, or hazardous goods.

Minuses:

  • Thieves generally try to break into dry vans because electronics and other valuable goods are currently transported in them.
  • Food, fine art, flowers, and other perishables should not be moved in these units.
  • In order to find the capacity necessary for your shipment, it can be challenging due to these units being in high demand.

Mickey Genuine Parts has refrigerated trailers, bulk trailers, dry vans, and more. For the frugal individual, we offer used trailers. Be advised that the availability of these changes on a frequent basis, so always check back if you don’t see what you’re looking for. For parts or maintenance, you can also rely on Mickey Genuine Parts. 

Contact us today if you’d like to discuss service, order a part, find out about our trailers, or something else related to the travel/transport industry. We are leaders in our field because we care about the individuals we service, and it shows in all we do.

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