Equipment Needed
Choosing the right equipment is crucial for ensuring safe, efficient, and cost-effective transportation of your goods. Below, we provide a breakdown of the most commonly used equipment types available through FreightManager.
Choosing the right equipment is crucial for ensuring safe, efficient, and cost-effective transportation of your goods. Each type of equipment serves a specific purpose and caters to different types of cargo. Below, we provide a breakdown of the most commonly used equipment types available through FreightManager.
1. Van
Definition: A standard dry van is an enclosed trailer used to transport general freight that doesn't require refrigeration or temperature control.
When to Choose This Option?
- Your items are packaged in boxes, crates, or pallets.
- Your cargo does not require temperature control.
- Protection from weather and theft is essential.
Key Considerations
- Most cost-effective option for general freight shipping.
- Protects shipments from rain, snow, and theft.
Example: A supplier ships electronics from a warehouse to a retailer. The electronics are boxed and palletized, so a dry van is sufficient for transport since no temperature control is required.
2. Reefer
Definition: A refrigerated trailer used to transport perishable goods at controlled temperatures.
When to Choose This Option?
- You’re shipping fresh food, frozen food, or perishable goods.
- Temperature-sensitive products such as pharmaceuticals and chemicals are being transported.
Key Considerations
- Higher shipping costs due to refrigeration equipment and fuel consumption.
- Temperature can be controlled and monitored throughout the journey.
Example: A seafood distributor ships fresh fish from the coast to a restaurant supplier. Since the fish must remain at 32°F during transit, a reefer is used to keep the seafood fresh.
3. Flatbed
Definition: An open trailer with no sides or roof, used to transport oversized, heavy, or oddly shaped cargo.
When to Choose This Option?
- Your items are too large or wide for a standard trailer.
- Loading and unloading must be done from the side or top of the truck.
Key Considerations
- Goods must be secured using straps, chains, and tarps to protect them from weather.
- Commonly used for construction materials, heavy machinery, and large equipment.
Example: A construction company ships steel beams from the mill to a construction site. Since the beams are oversized, they are transported on a flatbed trailer, secured with chains and straps.
4. Straight Truck
Definition: A truck with the cargo and driver compartments built as one unit, typically used for local and short-haul deliveries.
When to Choose This Option?
- Your shipment is for local or same-day delivery.
- Access to large semi-trucks is limited at the delivery site.
Key Considerations
- Best for residential or smaller delivery sites with restricted access.
- Limited carrying capacity compared to full trailers.
Example: A retailer delivers a new refrigerator to a customer’s home. A straight truck is used to navigate residential streets and deliver the product directly to the customer's driveway.
5. Step Deck
Definition: Similar to a flatbed but with a "step" or lower deck, allowing for the transportation of taller cargo.
When to Choose This Option?
- Your shipment is taller than standard flatbed height limits.
- Large machinery, tractors, or heavy equipment are being transported.
Key Considerations
- Allows for taller loads compared to standard flatbeds.
- Strapping and securing cargo is necessary to prevent load shifts.
Example: A manufacturer ships a large industrial generator to a factory. Due to its height, it’s loaded onto a step-deck trailer to ensure it clears overpasses during transit.
6. Lowboy / RGN (Removable Gooseneck)
Definition: A specialized trailer with a lower deck to carry extremely heavy or oversized loads.
When to Choose This Option?
- Your shipment is extremely heavy or oversized.
- Construction equipment, such as excavators, needs to be transported.
Key Considerations
- Can handle very heavy loads with a low center of gravity.
- More expensive than flatbeds due to specialized handling and weight capacity.
Example: A construction firm needs to transport an excavator from a construction site to a maintenance facility. The excavator is driven directly onto the lowboy trailer for transport.
7. Container
Definition: A secure metal container that is used for intermodal transport (sea, rail, and truck) to protect cargo from weather, theft, and damage.
When to Choose This Option?
- Your shipment requires protection from weather, theft, or damage.
- Goods are being transported internationally via sea, rail, or truck.
Key Considerations
- Offers secure, tamper-proof transport for international shipping.
- Available in 20-ft and 40-ft sizes.
Example: An electronics distributor is shipping laptops from the United States to Canada. The laptops are loaded into a 40-ft container, which is sealed and transported by ship and truck.
8. Curtain Side
Definition: A trailer with sliding fabric curtains on the sides, allowing for side loading and unloading.
When to Choose This Option?
- Side access is required for loading/unloading.
Example: A large commercial retailer receives boxed inventory that must be loaded from the side using forklifts.
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