Want to squeeze more output from every load you haul?
Cargo efficiency can differentiate between fleets doing very well and fleets just breaking even. The largest increases usually aren’t realized through longer hours or harder work. They are realized through proper equipment selection.
When you nail your trailer fleet solutions, you’ll see:
- Lower fuel costs per mile
- More cargo moved per trip
- Less downtime and fewer repairs
- Better margins on every contract
Some fleets are doing this today. They are transporting more freight on the same number of trips. Others are struggling to transport freight half empty because their equipment won’t match the load.
Those slight differences in equipment choice become tens of thousands of dollars of profit per year.
This guide breaks down exactly how to maximise cargo efficiency through smarter equipment choices.
Time to dive in!
Inside this guide:
- Why Your Equipment Choice Hits The Bottom Line
- The Best Trailer Fleet Solutions For Cargo Output
- Smart Features That Boost Efficiency
- Matching Equipment To Your Cargo Type
- Common Mistakes To Avoid
Why Your Equipment Choice Hits The Bottom Line
Here’s something most fleet managers don’t realise…
Pickups and deliveries: Which trailer you run dramatically affects cargo efficiency more than any other factor. Truck and trailer payment rates rose 8.3% to an all-time high of $.39/mile, according to industry experts. So losing even an inch of cargo space is costing you more margin than ever before.
Think about it…
If your equipment doesn’t match the load, one of three things happens:
- The trailer gets underfilled (wasted space = lost money)
- The trailer gets overloaded (fines, accidents, compliance issues)
- The cargo gets damaged in transit (expensive claims)
That’s where quality trailers from a trusted manufacturer shine. Quality trailer fleet solutions allow you options with cargo types, road conditions and weight without compromise.
Higher cargo efficiency = More profit per mile.
It really is that simple.
The Best Trailer Fleet Solutions For Cargo Output
Now onto the good news. There are a number of trailer fleet solutions available that can significantly increase your cargo efficiency. Choose the appropriate ones for your operation and you will see improvements quickly.
Curtainsiders
Curtainsiders offer some of the greatest versatility available. The pull-back curtain allows loading from any direction which greatly reduces dock turnaround times.
Why does that matter?
Every second your trailer spends loading/unloading is a second it isn’t transporting cargo. Curtainsiders significantly reduce load times, particularly when forks are loading at the side.
Flatbeds
Flatbeds carry what other trucks can’t. Oversize loads, construction materials, industrial machinery — flatbeds haul it all.
Why? You can haul oddly shaped freight that simply would not fit in a standard enclosed trailer on a flatbed. If you haul mixed freight, you need flatbeds in your fleet.
Box Trailers
Box trailers shield cargo from the elements and work well for general freight needs. Box trailers are the bread and butter of the industry. Dry vans make up about 55-60% of the global trailers market. You’ll learn all you need to know about versatility by reading that statistic alone.
Tipping Trailers
When you need to transport large volumes of loose materials such as aggregate, grain or waste, tipping trailers are ideal. The trailer’s hydraulic tipping mechanism allows for quick unloading without the use of additional equipment to offload material by hand.
Smart Features That Boost Cargo Efficiency
Modern trailer fleet solutions today aren’t limited to just a “tin box on wheels.” Some noteworthy features include:
Telematics Connectivity: GPS tracking, route optimisation, real time cargo monitoring. Allows you to pinpoint exactly where every trailer is and how it is utilised. With fleet telematics adoption hovering around 46%, operators not using telematics are left in the dust.
Aerodynamic improvements: New aerokit designs, side skirts and tail fairings may greatly improve fuel consumption. Savings accumulate over thousands of miles.
Lightweight constructions: New composite materials allow you to haul more freight for the same overall weight. New lightweight constructions are available that can decrease trailer weights by as much as 17%, allowing you to transport more cargo each trip without exceeding weight restrictions.
Load monitoring sensors: Know precisely how loaded your trailer is, where weight is placed and whether you have available capacity left.
Ports with these features invested in by fleets are experiencing the largest gains in cargo efficiencies today. Ports NOT receiving these fleet investments are falling behind quarterly.
Basic telematics technology pays for itself in just a few months with a busy fleet. The math adds up fast when you eliminate wasted miles and idling from every job.
Matching Equipment To Your Cargo Type
Here’s the part most operators get wrong…
“They purchase general purpose equipment and attempt to make it do everything for every load.” Says who?? That’s how you become inefficient. Couple your equipment to your cargo if you wish to maximize your cargo output.
Ask yourself these questions:
- What type of cargo do you move most often?
- What weight do you typically haul?
- What are your typical route conditions?
- How quickly do you need to load and unload?
Your answers should inform your equipment decisions. A fleet doing 80% bulk aggregate hauling will have different trailer fleet requirements to one transporting palletised retail freight daily.
Don’t try to create a Swiss army knife trailer. Dedicated equipment is more efficient than multipurpose for cargo.
Common Mistakes That Hurt Cargo Efficiency
Even seasoned fleet operators make these mistakes:
- Buying the cheapest option: Cheap trailers cost more long-term in maintenance and downtime
- Ignoring resale value: Quality equipment from trusted brands holds value much better
- Cutting corners on maintenance: No matter how great a trailer is you won’t get anything out of it if you don’t take care of it
- Buying for today, not tomorrow: Cargo demands change. Build flexibility into your fleet
Stay away from these and you’ll experience actual cargo productivity improvements for free.
Final Thoughts
Selecting appropriate trailer fleet solutions shouldn’t be a checklist exercise. It should be about creating a fleet that works efficiently every time you need it on the job. Top performing fleets consider:
- Equipment type vs cargo mix
- Smart features that boost output
- Long-term durability and resale value
- Matching trailer specs to real-world routes
Pick those two correctly and cargo efficiency is no longer a problem. It just flows naturally from operating the correct equipment for the job.
The trailers you select today will determine your fleet profitability for years to come. Don’t rush this decision.
