A flatbed trailer is a flexible option for transporting oversized loads that don’t fit inside an enclosed trailer. Whether you run a construction business or work in the oil and gas industry, flatbed trailers are ideal for shifting oddly-shaped equipment with minimum fuss.
Before you hire one for your next job, however, there are three key considerations to keep in mind when choosing a flatbed trailer:
1. Can it handle harsh environmental conditions?
Australia has some of the harshest climate conditions and terrain around, particularly when you’re driving through rural areas.
You should look for a trailer that is durable enough to withstand bumps and rough road surfaces; is resistant to corrosion; and comes with tarps to protect your load from dust, rain, flying rocks, and other outdoor elements.
All of our trucks and trailers at Rentco are built to be tough enough for the Australian outdoors. Our flatbed trailers are suitable for ISO containers and are compatible with both B-double trucks and road trains.
2. Is it regularly serviced and maintained?
There’s loads at risk without knowing the last time a flatbed trailer was serviced! When you’re sussing out different rental trailers for a job, you should have a look over the brakes, tyres, cab and back lights, safety straps and other load restraints to ensure they’re in proper working condition.
Be sure to ask the owners about their maintenance and repairs policy, as it might not be up to the standard you expect (and you don’t want to be out on your own if some of the trailer’s components fail or break down).
At Rentco, we provide nationwide servicing for all our trucks and trailers, so you’ll be supported no matter where you are. Our in-house maintenance team also takes special care to clean and check each returned vehicle or piece of equipment for any repairs that are required, before it is handed over to our next customer.
3. Is it safe and easy for staff to load?
Finally, you should check to see how safe the trailer is for staff of all experience levels to handle in different conditions. Not all equipment brands have the same safety mechanisms, and not all transport equipment rental companies follow the same standards.
For the team at Rentco, safety has always been a high priority when leasing our equipment out. Our flatbed trailers have a fully-gated design and container pins to keep 20-40ft containers locked in place, LED lights all around for good visibility, and satisfies the safety compliance requirements for use on mine sites.
We also took the initiative to add EBS and ABS-equipped trailers to our fleet before this became an industry mandate. Whatever type of transport equipment you’re looking for, you can be confident that each is as safe to use as can be.
If you’d like to learn more about our range of heavy-duty flatbed trailers for hire, simply head down to your local depo or give our head office a call on 08 9353 9999.
