Are you passing up profit opportunities because the sole trailer you own and operate is a flatbed? At the time you purchased it, committing to a flatbed alone may have seemed like the most viable option to maximize available freight. Perhaps the reality of the market has changed or the nature of the loads—tarping requirements and other drawbacks—has made owning and operating a flatbed alone a less attractive strategy than it once was. On the other hand, the expense of adding a conventional van and paying upkeep, insurance and storage costs on two separate trailers doesn’t make good business sense, either—particularly considering that one of the two will always be sitting idle and unused.
Fortunately, there’s a middle road that consolidates the benefits of both flatbeds and traditional enclosed vans into a single vehicle. And, it’s available for less than the investment required to buy an entirely separate, second trailer. Converting a standard flatbed to a curtainside is an eminently doable option to gain the best of both worlds in a single vehicle.
If a flatbed alone no longer serves your goals, here are three reasons why you should consider a curtainsider conversion:
- One trailer, multiple freight options. You’re not giving up any existing business; you’re simply adding to your profit potential by making your services available to a wider variety of shippers. A curtain side trailer opens up on three sides to accommodate almost any oversize or side-loading requirement that your flatbed typically handles. Then simply draw the side curtains shut. No time-consuming tarping at risk of life and limb is required. Strap down the load and go. In addition, however, when and where available freight requires a conventional van, you don't have to decline the load anymore. The curtainside morphs easily into that role, too. It allows traditional loading/unloading from a dock, and/or from the ground where a dock’s not available, simply by retracting the curtains. When the curtains are closed, it provides the shelter and security of a conventional van for standard freight.
- Easy adjustment curve and no surprises. A curtainsider conversion only adds a little over 2,000 pounds to a flatbed. This relatively insignificant increase means you’re basically still towing the same flatbed you’ve grown accustomed to. The handling characteristics on the road are the same, and parameters such as weight distribution are similar, too, so you don’t have to spend time getting accommodated to an entirely new trailer configuration. Similarly, the regular maintenance requirements, as well as any other pending upkeep issues associated with your existing flatbed, will be familiar to you; unforeseen maintenance expenses or more complex procedures aren’t an issue.
- Painless, uncomplicated conversion. A curtainside conversion can be handled by the professionals at Roland or an authorized dealer. Alternatively, the conversion can be supplied as a kit that many independent shops and/or company maintenance mechanics may be able to handle. The upgrade procedure is standardized and straightforward and can be performed on virtually any standard-size flatbed make or model. Generally speaking, once you deliver the flatbed to Roland or the authorized service-provider, you can expect to be back on the road again—but with expanded profit potential and greater ease of daily operation—in only a few days.
See how a real client is becoming much more profitable because of their flatbed to curtain side trailer conversions. Download the case study today!
