Trucking firms offer a variety of different services to their clients. While some may restrict their deliveries to short or long hauls, others provide both. For some companies, refrigerated or cold units are essential for delivering their goods safely and hygienically. Yet, the most common type of truck carries dry goods. For these services, a shipper or expediter turns to dry van trucking companies to deliver their items.
What Is a Dry Trucking Company?
A majority of all freight travelling in the United States is carried in a dry van. A description or definition of this type of vehicle is as follows:
- Typically ranges between 26 and 53 feet in size i.e. semi-trailer. In fact, 53 feet is the maximum allowed for safety reasons
- Enclosed box shape
- Does not feature climate controls
- Can handle and deliver almost any product not requiring refrigeration. These range from components to electronics to baby diapers to canned or packaged food goods. The list of dry goods is incredibly long and embraces much of what we use daily in our lives
- Capable of hauling a maximum of 45,000 pounds of cargo or 26 standard pallets
- The freight is regular palette, boxed, or floor-loaded
- Features rear doors with easy access for loading and unloading
- Although some may have lifts, most generally require the use of a forklift or similar equipment to place the freight inside the van or to remove it
The load they carry is not specific in nature beyond its “dry” nature. Like other trucks, these can carry a full load or may take part in those products designated as a less than a load (LTL). It depends upon the arrangements the dry van trucking companies make with the shippers and/or manufactures. In either case, it is not unusual for such vehicles to make several stops for changing their loads before proceeding to the next destination.
Dry Van Trucking Companies
The dry van component of the shipping industry encompasses the lion’s share of shipping today. These vans and their drivers comprise the majority of trucks on the road today. While some may be in it for the short haul, moving goods within a very limited distance, others are driving their loads across the country. If you visit any store in America today, chances are the goods you see, whether imported or made in the United States of America, were brought there through the abilities of the dedicated drivers dry van trucking companies to maneuver the roads from the shipping docks to this destination.
