Curtain Side Flatbeds

How do you get around being over 102, think dot would have caught on to this by now i know on my 96 if i have lumber hanging over they measure it.

 

The system can't be used to secure the load only to provide a weather seal. That's why trailers like a Tautliner or soft sided van is limited to 102" because the sides are considered "load bearing"

They allow 3" per side for tarps or straps (like a ratchet strap) When these first came out in '95-'96 we had a letter we had to carry in each truck from the DOT explaining the exemption if you were pulled over.

 

Are you guys talking about curtain vans (with a solid roof & rear doors) or flatbeds with a rolling tarp or "conestoga kit"?

There's a big difference in how they work & what you can haul.

I have a good bit of time in with curtain vans, they have their pluses & minuses. When it comes to a rolling tarp system I think I would just as soon use regular tarps on a flatbed.

It all depends on your freight base. With a roll tarp, you are limited to flatbed freight. With a curtain van most shippers will load dry box freight on you and you can haul most flatbed loads too.

 

Problems with soft sided vans.....Heavy because of the roof and rear doors. Can't haul anything over length, can't stack anything like lumber very high because you can't throw straps because of the roof and you can't load anything the requires an overhead crane. We have a couple trucks leased to a lumber company, we have all roll tarps and the other company leased to them uses tautliners. They're limited to about 45k where we can haul 50k, and they can't stack lumber 3 units high where we can. (and they can't figure out why our rate is higher ) But your right it all depends on what you haul.

 

I can legal 49K & I have a system for strapping anything with 6" under the roof. The co. I am hoping to start with soon can put 52k on the deck of several of their curtains. Volume/height is only a problem with lumber when you try to haul "high & dry". Green lumber, plywood etc. you run out of weight way before you run out of cube.

(Of course if I can get around the scales I just tell them to wood 'er up)

 

i run a small trucking company with 2 of them. best money ever spent. i have the customers , i have today because of the rolling tarp system. but like everything, a straight slot screwdriver won't work too well as a hammer. forget van freight, too cheap anyway. concentrate on the trailers strengths and it will pay you in spades. for all the perceived limitations , there are just as many bonuses. free advice and worth every penny, johnny

 

They would limit us. We haul to many wide loads and are often maxed out on weight. We only tarp about 1 or 2 loads per week so it wouldn't be worth it to our operation.

 

Hello. What kind of tarping brand system Do you guys have and why did you go with that brand?