Trailers

A curtainsider or tautliner trailer is the generic name for a curtain-sided type of trailer, Curtainsiders usually have a hard-shell roof, solid front bulkhead, conventional rear doors, and a retractable curtain along both sides. The curtains run on top and bottom horizontal rails and cover both sides of the trailer. The heavy-duty PVC tarpaulin curtains protect the load from the elements and are flexible enough to pull aside for access. 

A box trailer, box van trailer or van trailer has solid walls and lockable swing-back rear doors. These offer high levels of security. It is one of the most popular trailer types in the road haulage industry. Thanks to their securable cargo hold, the world’s largest retailers use box trailers. Most non-perishable food products, clothing and household goods make their way to the shelves in the back of a box van trailer. TIP’s impressive fleet of box trailers also includes a range of trailers with aerodynamic designs. These box van trailers offer increased stability, fuel savings and running costs.

A refrigerated trailer or reefer is a temperature-controlled box trailer. Using a curtainsider as the base unit for a refrigerated trailer is also possible, also known as an ‘insuliner.’ The common denominator in both cases is the Trailer Refrigeration Unit (TRU). This unit mounts externally on the front of the trailer and controls the temperature inside the cargo area. Reefer and insuliner trailers specialise in keeping cargo at a set temperature, but only the reefer with its sealed and insulated box is suitable for transporting frozen goods.

This type of purpose-built trailer features an exposed ladder frame chassis to transport shipping containers. The body is easy and quick to secure once the container lowers onto the chassis. It achieves this thanks to twist-lock fittings attached to the framework. The adjustability of the multifunctional container chassis offers increased flexibility to road hauliers. These trailers can carry one 45ft or two 20ft containers.

Walking or moving floor trailers provide a unique solution to the age-old problem of easy on and off-loading. The walking floor trailer uses a system of moving horizontal slats that slide back and forth to inch the cargo forward or backward. The slats operate via powerful hydraulic rams beneath the trailer and can easily move fully loaded pallets along the truck bed.

A flatbed trailer has an open deck or flat platform. It has no infrastructure or framework to support walls, a roof, or rear doors. Many options are available but the most common flat platform trailers have a steel chassis with a wooden deck. This trailer type has a simple layout and is popular throughout the road haulage industry. The flatbed trailer’s design is ideal for hauling irregularly shaped and heavy cargo.

Housed on a robust ladder frame chassis, the rear base of the tipper trailer body is hinged, allowing the front to lift hydraulically. This tilting action allows for the fast unloading of bulk goods. A tipper trailer or bulker features extensively in the building, agriculture and recycling industry.