If you’re looking for heavy-duty hauling and transport solutions, our team at Kingpin Trailers can help you locate the right fit for your truck and trailer needs. A flat deck trailer is a great choice for cargo that is large in size and requires ground loading, has large capacity and, with a skilled driver behind the wheel, makes an excellent hauling partner. However, before you can safely transport goods to your desired location, it’s important to make sure your load and your trailer are safe and secure.
Below, we’ll review a few best practices for drivers using flat deck trailers to complete jobs while maintaining safety on the road. Keep reading!
Match the Right Vehicle with Your Trailer
Before you even begin the process of purchasing a trailer for your truck, you need to make sure your truck model and the flat deck trailer you’re considering are compatible. While this may seem like common sense to more experienced drivers, it’s a frequent mistake for new drivers to mispair their truck and trailer fleets when dealing with heavier loads. To ensure you complete your transport jobs safely and prevent any potential accidents, your truck and flat deck trailer must have compatible weight capacity limits, power, and safety ratings, among other important factors.
Use Proper Loading Techniques
Once you’re confident your truck is compatible with your chosen flat-deck trailer, make sure you’re securing your loads with industry-standard techniques. Proper weight distribution prevents your trailer from swaying from side to side while on the road. Flat decks, such as the 2024 Doonan Specialized 53′ Platinum Drop Deck Trailer, require equipment like tie-downs, chains, and straps to keep all equipment and cargo in place. Check that your load is tightly strapped in place and immobile before you begin driving. If you have any loose items, they can shift or loosen your other cargo, causing a hazard for other drivers.
Understand Load Limits and Requirements
Don’t overestimate the load capacity of your flat deck trailer – even heavy-duty hauling solutions have their weight and size limits! Follow the specific load limits for your trailer and the flat deck model you’ve selected, ensuring one doesn’t exceed the other. If your load is too heavy, this can cause issues with the strength and durability of your hitch, tires, and axle, resulting in accidents and mechanical failures.
Prepare for Weather and Terrain Changes
Safety is always the number one priority for drivers and the public, but once winter hits, it becomes even more vital. Once the roads are wet or icy, you can maintain safety by reducing your speed on the highway and increasing your following distance during snow and rainstorms.
You may also want to increase your safety inspections to ensure your tires, brakes, and lights are working properly before taking a longer journey. Our team at Kingpin can help get your fleet winter-ready through our maintenance and repair service!
Get a Doonan Flat Deck Trailer from Kingpin
You can enjoy a safe and secure transport job by partnering with Kingpin Trailers! Our lineup of high-quality flat decks from Doonan Specialized Trailer, LLC, is guaranteed to get the job done, and you can trust us to select the right model for your fleet.
Contact us today to learn more about our selection of Doonan flatbeds and our pricing.
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