This article is a continuation on a previous article. If you'd like to start with the first 3 Reasons Your Fleet Needs a Curtainside Van, you can read it here.
Whether you're currently looking to expand, renovate, or otherwise improve the state of your trailer fleet, investing in a curtainside van may be one of your best potential moves. Few fleet options offer the blend of convenience, reliability, and ease-of-use you find married together in a curtainside configuration. Unfamiliar with curtainside vans? They’re quite simple.
The basics of a curtainside van
You can essentially consider a curtainside van to be a flatbed with a versatile upper structure enclosure, designed to offer the best advantages of a typical flatbed and a dry-van trailer. You'll find them in two distinct configurations: the more structured, accordion-like Rolling Tarp System, with an upper canopy which retracts back out of the way, and the Curtainsider, which is a flatbed with a front bulkhead, fixed roof, and rear swing doors enclosed with flexible yet durable side curtains.
Each offers distinct advantages in loading, unloading, security, and structural integrity, but both configurations also offer a "best of both worlds" blend which many fleets can benefit from. Still not convinced? Consider these three reasons to invest in a conversion kit, replacement unit, or a new unit:
Reason #1: Flexibility in the loading and unloading process.
You'll see enhanced efficiency over the enforced structure of a trailer. Not only can you load more quickly by accessing the sides (or loading overhead, with a Rolling Tarp System), you escape the limitations of "first-on/last-off" which plague traditional dry-van trailer configurations.
You'll find that your operations team can easily load or unload what you need where you need it, without fighting the hassle of complex logistics. You'll also find that curtainside vans load and unload much easier than trailers in situations where loading facilities aren't equipped with conventional docks, as they work brilliantly with ground-based forklifts - something a hard-side trailer simply cannot offer.
Reason #2: Cargo safety and security.
The structure of a curtainside also offers unique advantages over a simple flatbed. When moving high-value cargo such as automobiles and machinery, the ability to cover the cargo with a fixed structure greatly improves security and safety.
Similarly, curtainside vans are more effective at concealing materials such as hazardous chemicals, military hardware, munitions, and explosives from prying eyes. And of course, in eliminating the need for tarping, you can speed up the loading and unloading process and improve risk management by providing a safer work environment, as well as a consistent, reliable system for securing your cargo.
Reason #3: Accommodates unusual needs well.
Perhaps the best argument for the addition of curtainside vans to your fleet lay in their flexibility. When unusual cargo, loading and unloading situations, or other problems arise, a curtainside van's unique features make it well-suited to custom solutions. Unique dimensional requirements mean contamination risks stay low, first-on/last-off doesn't complicate logistics, and the list goes on. You can utilize a curtainside van in most scenarios where you wouldn't otherwise need its traits as well, which means you will always have the right trailer at the right place for the right load, every time.
Want to learn more about or request more info on how a curtainside van could help your fleet? Then please feel free to make your request here and someone will be back with you shortly.
