The Tautliner has just had a fresh set of curtains fitted, and its next run is Brisbane.
It is not the most exciting job in the yard, but it is worth explaining, because the state of a trailer's curtains has a lot to do with how your freight turns up at the other end.
What the curtains actually do
On a Tautliner, or curtain-sider, the curtains are the walls. They keep rain and road dust off the load, and once they are pulled tight and buckled down they stay that way for the whole trip.
Curtains wear. Sun, buckles, tension and thousands of kilometres of wind all take their toll, and a tired curtain starts letting water and dust through. On a short local job you might get away with it. Across the country, you usually will not.
So new curtains before a long run is not about looks, although it does look the part. It is about the freight arriving dry.
When a curtain-sider is the right trailer
Palletised and boxed freight, anything that needs to stay covered, and anything that has to be loaded quickly from the side by forklift. The curtains slide back, the freight goes on, and it is covered the moment they close, with no tarping.
Machinery, plant and oversize freight usually suit an open trailer better, and that is a different conversation. The point is matching the trailer to the freight, not the freight to whatever trailer happens to be free.
Freight to Brisbane
Brisbane is one of the regular runs east. If you have palletised or general freight that needs to get there covered and in one piece, it is worth asking what trailer it will travel on and what condition it is in, as well as what it costs.
Got freight heading to Brisbane? Give Spanner a call on 0429 807 308 and tell him what it is and when it needs to move.