If you drive a dump truck or tractor trailer, you probably already know that covering the load can be important for a number of reasons. But just throwing a tarp over the top of the load is not enough. Unless you use the right tarp, it is not going to hold up to the stress and may not meet the legal requirements in the area you are driving through. Doing it right is important.
Why Should You Cover The Load?
Covering the load on your truck and trailer is required by law in most areas of the country. The Department of Transportation (DOT) also has some guidelines that spell out what materials need to be covered and what you must cover them with. Not doing so can result in heavy fines for the driver or trucking company.
Taking the time to cover the load may add a few minutes to your day, but it is better to do so than end up with a fine for not taking care of it. Many trucks even have automatic systems in place to cover the load with little to no efforts so not taking the time to do it is just asking for trouble with police officers and DOT Inspectors.
Using The Right Tarps
The tarp used to cover the load on your truck needs to be properly designed for the job at hand. The material used is heavier than a standard tarp so that it will stand up to the wind and strain put on it as the truck travels down the road.
Many truck drivers that haul open bed trailers have a few tarps to choose from in varying sizes so they can pick the one they need. On dump trailers, the tarp is often on a roller and just needs to be stretched to the back of the body, and in many cases, it does that automatically when you release it.
Rolling Tarp Systems
While only dump bodies were the ones that had rolling tarp systems, there are companies making them for drop deck trailers now as well. These systems are custom made to fit the trailer and the type of load the driver typically carries so working with the company to have a system designed to your needs is important.
Sit down with the company representative from a business such as Glider Systems Inc to discuss the details with them so they can give you some idea of what they make, how it works, and if it is right for your needs.
Do you remember the last time you really stopped to think about what kind of car you wanted? I began thinking about what my car needed about a year ago, and it occurred to me that there were some serious issues with the way I was treating the interior. I started focusing on keeping the space cleaner, but a friend of mine suggested adding some new auto accessories as an added touch. Before I knew it, the entire car was looking and smelling a lot better, and I knew I had something great on my hands. Read these posts to find out how to create an excellent vehicle.