Nobody ever expects a breakdown, but you always have to be prepared for one. Reacting properly helps protect you and other drivers around you. It can also minimize the damage to your tractor and/or semi trailer.
Many accidents occur every year because an improperly secured load falls off a flatbed semi trailer. In some cases, vehicles behind the trailer strike, or are struck by, objects and are damaged. Flying cargo can also damage property adjacent to the roadway. In addition, the sudden shifting of a load can cause the truck driver to lose control of the rig, resulting in a single-vehicle accident. For these and other reasons, whether you rent a flatbed semi trailer or have your own equipment, it’s vital that you know how to immobilize any loads you haul.
As with all businesses, stakeholders in the transportation industry—from trucking companies to rental semi trailer providers to companies that transport their own goods—are continually looking for ways to operate more efficiently and cost-effectively. For many, the answer is to implement new technologies as they become available.
If you are a trucker, you know that the regulations around hauling semi trailers loaded with goods and materials around the country changed significantly in late 2017. That’s when most in the industry were required to start using electronic logging devices (ELDs) to track the operation of their rigs.
If you’re a trucker, nobody needs to tell you that having your truck and semi trailer out of commission for any significant period of time is a problem. In summertime, as temperatures start to climb, so does the risk of serious, heat-related issues. From damage caused by an overheated engine to blown tires, these troubles can take you off the road for hours or even days at a time.
We’ve all heard the phrase “where the rubber meets the road.” For any company that uses semi trailers to haul products or materials, that point is one that can have a significant effect on everything from fuel economy to safety. Knowing what to look for when purchasing tires and how to get the most life out of tires without creating a safety risk can be a key to success.