What Is A Freight Truck?
Freight trucks are heavy-duty vehicles that transport goods from supply points to customer destinations and act as connectors for different modes of transport, including inland waterways, shipping, and air and rail transport. Whether you deal with small cargo or large goods and service equipment shipments, freight trucks would be your ideal choice.
Are you looking for solutions to transport large cargo volumes with the flexibility and convenience of doorstep delivery?
You would prefer freight trucks that can handle heavier loads than other forms of transportation and deliver goods reliably and economically. With this transport mode, you can reduce costs related to packaging, loading, unloading, and other ancillary factors.
Freight transportation by truck is a more efficient and cost-effective mode as compared to rail or sea transport. You can transport materials of any nature and size under controlled transit conditions.
In this article, we will discuss the types, features, and benefits of freight trucks that provide insights into utilizing them with better flexibility, security, and versatility.
Benefits of Using Freight Trucks
The primary benefits of freight trucks are as follows:
Flexibility
You can transport goods to any location connected by roadways utilizing your trained and experienced drivers. You may also save money by planning a smaller volume of multiple shipments combined into a full truckload and dispatch to different locations. Freight trucks usually transport cargo between warehouses, factories, wholesalers, and retailers across states or countries.
Safety and Security
It offers to transport facilities for goods by dedicated truck carriers with well-trained drivers who are experts in carrying out necessary background checks and maintaining high standards of safety and security in transportation. You can utilize certified and reliable transporters who follow the security steps at the highest level.
Versatility
You can transport almost any item via truck, including sensitive and hazardous materials. You need to find a carrier with the experience and the ability to handle your particular shipment type. Freight trucks offer customized facilities and arrangements for handling specific types of sensitive and damage-prone goods.
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Design of Freight Truck
The design of freight trucks focuses on functioning reliably and economically while running for long hours carrying maximum payloads under extreme road conditions. The structure is tough to minimize failures and downtime and reduce your ongoing costs.
A robust chassis and a powerful engine in the truck help carry heavier loads on different terrain and weather conditions easily. It must be tolerant to any climatic conditions, physical impact, or handling issues because these vehicles travel through variable geographical locations and conditions. The design of heavy-duty trucks combines functionality with efficiency. The easy-to-control steering wheel, well-positioned overhead console, and various control switches offer convenient driving.
They also have features that relieve the strain of long-distance driving. The design facilitates fuel-efficient, low-maintenance, and safety-oriented truck operations with various types of goods and cargo. Advanced models of freight trucks have features like GPS tracking, remote monitoring, alert generation, and communication technology to make the transport safer, more reliable, and more efficient.
Types of Freight Trucks
There are different types of freight trucks used for transportation purposes. Small vans and trailers are suitable for transporting low-volume goods. Large and heavy trailers can handle the transport of large sizes and greater volume of cargo. The most popular truck types and their uses are as follows:
Flatbed Freight Truck
As the name implies, a flatbed freight truck is an open and flat platform attached to the back of a truck. It has no side cover or roof. It is suitable for large items that are difficult to accommodate in a closed trailer or container. The loading and unloading processes in flatbed trailers are much easier.
You can also securely fix the goods to the flatbed platform using straps or other mechanisms. These trucks are versatile in handling different loads and have become a reliable option for many transportation and logistics companies.
If you need to transport machinery, vehicles, construction materials, or oversized cargo, your best option is the flatbed truck. It can carry heavy loads and sometimes provides an extended platform to fit longer cargo.
Step Deck Freight Truck
It is an advanced version of a flatbed truck. The difference is that it has a double deck and is a lowboy trailer. The oversized and tall items fit in the lower deck. A step deck freight truck can move through low bridges, even with a tall load.
The ground clearance of the flatbed is much lower, making the loading and unloading processes more convenient. The double drop trailers have a well in the middle to carry tall items along with front and back decks for accommodating other goods.
Dry Van Freight Truck
Dry van freight trucks have an enclosed, temperature-controlled trailer attached to the truck. The sealed trailer protects the contents from potential transportation damage and the effect of weather or any other adverse conditions faced during transportation.
These vans are most suitable for cargo that is well-palletized, packaged, or contained in boxes. They can also carry machines, cars, and equipment that can fit into the enclosed chamber of the trailer.
Box Freight Truck
This truck got its name from the box-shaped enclosed compartment for carrying the load. A frame is attached to the truck, and the box-shaped container fits on it securely. The box is usually separate from the cabin, but sometimes, a door at the back side of the driver’s cabin connects the truck and the container.
The advantage is that the box truck is available in different sizes and meets various requirements based on load type, volume, and size. You can use it for transporting furniture, home appliances, and food.
Reefer Freight Truck
The Reefer freight truck has a refrigerated compartment with a proper temperature control mechanism. You can use it to transport perishable commodities and other goods that require accurate temperature control during transportation to avoid spoilage of goods.
It has a temperature control mechanism so that you can check and adjust the temperature in case any deviation occurs. The refrigerated container is sometimes fixed to the truck’s frame and sometimes attached separately.
It is suitable for supplying food, medicines, cold drinks, and other perishable goods long distances from the source points. Reefer truck transport is more expensive as fuel consumption is higher than non-refrigerated trucks.
Tanker Freight Truck
It is a specially designed vehicle for transporting liquid fuels, chemicals, wine, juices, and gasses. They generally have a cylindrical-shaped tank mounted on a semi-trailer. There are special requirements for a cylindrical tank depending on the type of liquid or gas contained in it.
You may require a tank that is refrigerated or non-refrigerated, insulated or non-insulated, and pressurized or non-pressurized. The design of this truck is such that it takes all necessary precautions to avoid hazards during transit. The operation of these vehicles is quite critical and needs trained and skilled drivers.
Semi-Trailer Freight Truck
A semi-trailer truck is a different type of trailer with no front axle or front wheels but rests on a fifth-wheel coupling. The trailer has legs and wheels that act as support when you unhook the trailer from the vehicle. Semi-trailer trucks can have two or more trailers attached, known as doubles or triples. Many industries utilize semi-trailers for transporting large volumes of raw materials and finished goods to various destinations.
Advanced Tracking Features in Freight Trucks
The advanced technology allows real-time monitoring of trucks for their location and movements. You can communicate with drivers, manage the routes, and take prompt actions in response to a notification received. The tracking of trailers also minimizes the chances of inefficient use, unwanted downtime, and risky driving practices.
A GPS-enabled tracking system like Matrack tracking solution installed in your trucks will provide updated information about freight movements. It would help you get a clear picture of overall logistics with real-time details of routes, travel time, and delays.
It enables fleet managers to make informed decisions toward maintaining productivity and resource optimization. Transport trucks also come with built-in driver alert systems and backup cameras that ensure safety on the road. A suitable tracking device for your trailers offers several benefits like controlling vehicles with reduced risks, improved utilization, and necessary safety compliance.
Conclusion
Freight trucking is an effective means of transport that increases the reliability and flexibility of transport operations by moving goods to the desired destinations with less cost involvement. Freight truck transport facilitates location-specific deliveries and caters to the demand for goods by reaching the commodity and labor markets more easily.
You have reliable tracking facilities to remotely monitor your fleet and get regular updates about routes, locations, and dispatch status, which is impossible for rail or air transport.
This article highlights the benefits of different types of freight trucks in meeting your specific requirements involving various types of cargo.
We hope this information guides you both as a fleet owner and goods supplier to decide on the type and features of freight trucks that provide effective solutions.