Services
With access to hundreds of carriers, Critical Freight Inc locates the best equipment to suit your needs. We handle all types of freight, both Full load and LTL with access to dry vans, reefers, flatbeds, stepdecks and double-drop trailers. Our professional staff will provide you with efficient, hassle-free transportation, that will give you the peace of mind to concentrate on what you do best. From the placement of an order, through to the receipt of goods, we follow each order at every stage keeping all parties informed of its progress. We leverage the knowledge of our staff and carriers to provide the best possible service.
List of Trailers:
Dry Van Trailer
Dry van trailers are either 48 feet or 53 feet long. The inside shipping platform is actually 1 foot shorter than advertised and you must take this into consideration when tallying up your dimensions. Regular dry van trailers have an outside height of 110 inches with an inside height of 108 inches. Most have an outside width of 102 inches, which is the maximum width allowed by law and have an inside width of 98-100 inches.
Refrigerator Trailer
A refrigerator trailer is a van trailer designed to carry perishable freight at specific temperatures. Most reefer trailers have some dimensional differences compared to dry van trailers. The most notable difference is the inside height. Most climate control trailers vary in height from 100 to 106 inches of inside height versus the 108 inches of a dry van. As is the case with the height of reefer trailers being shorter than dry vans, it's often the case that the width is narrower for similar reasons. Added thermal insulation to the walls increases the thickness of the walls, usually making them range between 96 - 98 inches wide. The length of these trailers are the same as the dry van. They range between 48 and 53 feet with inside shipping platforms 1 foot shorter.
Straight Truck
Straight trucks are normally 24 feet long with the inside shipping platform one foot shorter. This must be taken into consideration when tallying up your dimensions. Most straight trucks have an outside height of 110 inches with an inside height of 108 inches and have an outside width of 102 inches, which is the maximum allowed by law. The inside width is 98 -100 inches.
Lift Tailgate
A tail lift is a mechanical device permanently fitted to the back of van or trailer and is designed to facilitate the materials handling of goods from ground level or a loading dock to the level of the load bed of the vehicle. The majority of tail lifts are hydraulic or pneumatic in operation, although they can be mechanical, and are controlled by an operator using an electric relay switch. The use of a tail lift can obviate the need to use machinery such as a fork lift in order to load heavy items on to a vehicle, or can be used to bridge the difference in height between a loading dock and the vehicle load bed.
Curtain Side Truck
Curtain side trailers are 24, 48 and occasionally 53 feet in length. They have a solid roof, but the sides act as a curtain for accessibility to the product from either side. They also have rear doors for dock level loading and offloading. There are tie down rails to secure the product within the unit to avoid shifting and they are often a good alternative to flatbeds as the deck is the same as a flatbed. Curtain side trucks are weather proof and protect the product by overhead roof during loading and offloading during inclement weather.
Straight Flatbed Trailer
A flatbed trailer is an entirely flat, level bed body trailer with no sides or roof. This allows for quick and easy loading of goods, and consequently are used to transport heavy loads that are not delicate or vulnerable to precipitation, such as construction equipment and for abnormal loads that require more space than is available on a closed body. The standard length for flatbed trailers is 48 feet, but 45 and 53 foot trailers do exist with a width of 102 inches.
Rack and Tarp Trailer
A rack and tarp trailer is a flatbed with plywood sides which are removable to allow access from either side with hoops above to support the tarp. This allows protection for the freight inside while maintaining the suspended tarp above it while not touching it. There are rails inside the panels to allow tie downs by chain or nylon strap to secure the product. This configuration allows for end loading, side loading or overhead by crane.
Roll Tight Trailer
Roll tight trailers are usually 48 feet in length. They have an accordion type system that allows the entire enclosure to slide forward providing access to the product or bed from any angle. Roll tight trailers have tie down rails to secure the freight within the unit to avoid shifting. They are often a good alternative to flatbeds as the deck is a flatbed and they are weather proof to protect the product by being completely tarped at all times during transit. The floors are wooden to allow nail down with dunnage.
Step Deck Trailer
A step deck flatbed trailer is a platform semi trailer with no sides, no roof and no doors, and it has two deck levels. The floor drops down after it clears the rear wheels of the tractor. The lower deck allows for hauling taller loads than a regular straight floor flatbed. Step deck trailers are also known as drop decks & lowboy trailers. They have an upper deck that is 10 - 12 feet long and a lower deck that is 36 - 38 feet long. The combination of the two decks is 48 feet of deck space. There are some that are up to 53 feet in overall combined length, but are not that common and usually command a higher price.
Double Drop Trailer
Double drop trailers like step deck trailers, are built to accommodate taller shipments. They can carry cargo with a shipping height of 12 feet. The distance from the ground up to the top of the lower middle deck is 8 inches and are limited in length to 28 feet of clearance. The front upper deck is generally 12 feet in length and can accommodate a height of roughly 8 feet 4 inches in cargo. The rear upper deck is normally 8 feet in length.
