Whatever type of over-the-road semi trailer you’re hauling—dry van trailer, flatbed trailer, refrigerated trailer, etc.—winter weather poses unique challenges, both for the trailer and the tractor pulling it. To ensure that you get to your various destinations safely, it’s vital that you take action to protect your rig from the elements.
Even for the most experienced drivers, hauling a semi trailer on snowy or icy roads poses some significant challenges. From increased stopping distances to poor visibility, winter weather greatly increases the risk of an accident. And, of course, winter storms can move in quickly and turn dry pavement into a treacherous “skating rink” in a matter of minutes.
Regardless of what type of semi trailer you’re hauling, it’s important to load it correctly. Improper loading can lead to various problems including damage to the freight or the trailer, injuries to people tasked with unloading the trailer at your destination, etc.
Whether you own your semi trailers or rent semi trailers, the risk of cargo theft is always present. It seems that news reports about cargo theft are more common every day. And the dollar amounts in these losses continue to increase, as well. Depending on what you’re hauling, it’s easy for the value of your cargo to exceed six figures. And the total annual losses from cargo theft are easily in the tens of billions of dollars.
Whether you’re an experienced trucker operating the rig you’ve used for many years or a warehouse employee who has been tasked with moving a rented semi trailer from one place to another, doing your job safely must be your top priority.
With fuel costs always increasing (even after occasionally plateauing or even dropping temporarily) and big rigs averaging about 6 miles per gallon (mpg), any improvement in a vehicle’s aerodynamics can produce savings. And the more improvements you make, the more you save—especially if you’re operating a fleet of trucks and semi trailers.