Curtain Vans

Curtain side trailer 

Curtain vans, Also known as curtainsiders or curtain side trailers have a flatbed deck, a bulkhead (the front wall), and vertical elements that support an aluminum roof. The sides are made of a durable vinyl that can be retracted to provide access to the sides of the trailer. The rear is generally equipped with either hinged doors or a roll-up door.

At first glance, a curtain van looks pretty similar to a dry van, but it's much more closely related to a flatbed. Typically, curtain vans are used for local or regional deliveries. The driver usually has multiple stops to make and needs an efficient way to offload the freight in a variety of circumstances.

Cargo: In the United States, typically, at least some of the load is relatively long and needs to be protected from the elements. Hardwood lumber, plumbing supplies, and raw steel are often delivered in curtainsiders.

Loading: These units are usually loaded inside a warehouse with a forklift.

Securing: The load is secured to the deck using ratchet straps.

Unloading: Usually, the receiver unloads the truck using a forklift, but hand unloading is also common at small manufacturing companies and construction sites.

Curtain van partially open

Straight truck equipped with a curtainside body

All original art by David Swift

Log Trucks: Overview

Log trucks vary widely by region. As you travel across the United States, you may be surprised to see how many different styles exist. You can always recognize a log truck by the upright stakes which are known as bolsters. A pair of bolsters makes a bunk.  The trucks below are a representative sampling of the log trucks across the United States.

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Maine Log Truck
Original image source unknown.

Truckers in Maine have at least two very different types of logs to haul: long small diameter softwood and shorter thicker hardwood logs. The trucks they use work well for both.

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Log Length Log Truck

Common in the Midwest and Northeast, These trucks often have a rear mounted self-loader and are sometimes used with a short "pup" trailer. They are ideal for smaller jobs such as lot clearing, rather than industrial scale logging operations.

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Plantation style log truck 

Picture adapted from photo at bluegrassforestry.com

Plantation trailers are the style you'll see most often in the South. In these states, pine and hardwood plantations provide the timber used in home building and woodworking. These trailers are often built low to the ground to allow for a taller load. A push bar is located on the rear of the trailer so that heavy equipment can give the truck a shove when needed on soft, muddy ground.

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Stinger Steered Pole Trailer Log Truck

Stinger Steered Pole trailers may be the most unusual configuration in all of trucking. These units are ideal for navigating steep winding gravel forest roads in the mountainous Western states. One swivel mounted bunk is located in the spot where you'd normally find a fifth wheel hitch. Another swivel mounted bunk is above the rear axles. The trailer is attached by means of a pintle hitch. Amazingly, the logs determine the length of the trailer while the actual trailer telescopes to change length around corners.

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Flatbed with Bolsters

Finally, the most versatile of the styles is a simple flatbed with bolsters. Not the most exciting, and not the perfect tool for the job, but if you only haul logs sometimes, a flatbed may be the best choice.

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As always, if I've missed something or made an error, please don't hesitate to comment below.


All original art by David Swift

Auto Transporters

Auto Transporters

High sided auto transport

Auto transporters, also known as car carriers or car haulers are units specially designed to haul cars safely and efficiently. Most auto transporters use a system of hydraulically powered ramps to drive the cars on and off the trailer. Cars are secured with with tie-down ratchets or wheel straps. The truck driver drives the cars on and off and adjusts the ramps as needed.

Auto transporters come in low sided and high sided models. The high sided versions have the most versatility. They can carry up to nine cars.

low sided auto transport

Many of these trucks have a stinger steered fifth wheel arrangement. That means that the fifth wheel hitch is located behind and below the rear axle. This allows better maneuverabilty and makes room for more cargo.

Stinger Steered fifth wheel

Tractors that have racks attach are called head units. Three average sized vehicles fit on a head unit.

Head Unit

"Hot Shot" transporters are designed to haul fewer cars. They move vehicles for individuals, businesses, or insurance companies and are used when a full size transporter is unnecessary.

hot shot transporter

Before stinger-steered units, Auto transporters used the traditional fifth wheel configuration. They operated with or without head units.

transporter with traditional fifth wheel arrangement.

 

Enclosed auto transporters are similar to other auto carriers beneath their fiberglass, aluminum and vinyl skin. They offer better protection to the vehicles inside. Vinyl curtains open to make the loading and unloading easier.

enclosed auto transporter

Cars with very little ground clearance or very high value require yet another style of transporter. These trailers are equipped with a liftgate that is capable of lifting the car in a horizontal position to an upper or lower deck within the trailer.

Special enclosed auto transporter

When trucks are being transported. A completely different arrangement is needed. The most efficient way to transport three semi tractors (or four cab-and-chassis) is the saddle mount arrangement. Trucks are bolted to each other using special hardware.

Saddle mount.

Did I miss anything, make or a mistake, or does something need more explanation? Please leave a comment.

Side Load Beverage Trucks

Side Load Beverage Trucks

Forklift loading beverage truck.
original image: Crown Equipment

Beverages in cans, bottles and kegs are typically delivered to retail locations in either side load beverage trucks or more traditional trailers with a roll up door and a liftgate.

These trucks are usually loaded by forklift in a warehouse setting, and unloaded using a hand truck or dolly. Side load beverage trucks have several roll up doors on each side which open up into individual compartments. Each compartment may contain a specific product, or an order for a certain customer.

Side load trucks are also used to transport car batteries and propane tanks.

Side Load Beverage truck and trailer
original image: Eric Pioszak

Did I make a mistake or miss anything? Please comment!

Chip Trucks

Chip Truck. B-train configuration.

Chip Trailers

Chip trailers, sometimes called possum belly trailers, carry a variety of bulk materials. The most common loads are wood by-products that are destined to be burned as biomass or used in the manufacture of paper and composite lumber products.

Typical Pacific Northwest quad axle chip truck.

Loading from a chip bin.

Chip trailers have a large rear door that is hinged at its top corners and an open top that can be covered by a tarp. They are loaded from the top, usually from a chip bin, but sometimes by a wheeled loader.

These trailers are easily recognized by the unusual shape of the bottom of the trailer forward of the wheels. The shape helps to maximize the volume available in the trailer and helps to give the unit a lower center of gravity.

Truck Dumper.
Drawing adapted from Phelps Industries Photo