Trailer Training
The purpose of this article is to provide an overview of the different trailer types our owner operators pull. There are numerous variations of the trailers listed here in this article. Before we get into to much of that detail, lets discuss the basic trailer types.
Click here for a list of all trailer types and there dimensions
Flatbed
This is the most basic platform trailer equipment. It is generally 48′ long but can be 53′ as well, although that is much rarer. The height is 5′ or 60″. You will find that often people in the industry use both feet and inches to reference a specific dimension. We have an article on dimension etiquette.
It’s useful to have your multiples of 12 well understood along with a few inches to feet comparisons. Memorize this table and you will be well on your way!
Stepdeck
A stepdeck trailer has a lower deck height than a flatbed enabling it to haul taller pieces. This comes at a price, however, in that the stepdeck has a shorter deck length. Because this trailer gets more specialized it generally gets a better price, about 15 cents per mile on average.
Double Drop
A Double Drop has an even lower deck height, between 18″ to 24″ off the ground. This allows it to haul pieces around 12′ high. The deck length is much shorter only about 29′.
Specialized
Specialized trailers are a general term of describing any trailer type with unique features designed for a specific purpose.
Multiple Axles – Will allow to haul more weight.
Stretch – Trailers that can stretch or extend to accommodate longer pieces.
Variations of all these types of trailers and specialized features can create a large range of trailer types.
