53 Ft Dry Vans
A 53ft dry van, also known as a box trailer, is the biggest standard freight vehicle you'll see on North American roads. They're also very common on interstate highways, being hauled long distances by tractor units in a configuration most of us call a semi-trailer. If you need to know if this is the right type of trailer for your priority, high-value load, check out this article.
Cartons and boxes.
Packaged items: Consumer products, electronics, glassware and more.
Components: For example, castings, forgings, circuit boards, wiring harnesses, plastic moldings.
Packaging materials: Examples include glass and paper.
Raw materials: Not bulk materials but those stored and moved in cages, bins and similar containers.
Machine parts: Pumps, motors, generators, conveyors and others.
Liquids, in drums or tanks.
Capabilities
A dry van is a sturdy, enclosed trailer, typically white, designed to be towed by a heavy-duty truck or semi-tractor. It connects to the tractor unit via a fifth-wheel coupling—a slanted flange plate that securely locks onto the kingpin located beneath the front of the trailer. This setup allows for easy maneuvering and enables the tractor to detach from the trailer, facilitating efficient loading and unloading operations. The dry van’s design makes it an essential tool for transporting goods securely, protecting cargo from external elements like weather and debris. Its versatility allows it to accommodate a wide range of freight, from packaged consumer goods to industrial materials.
Capacity
With 53' of interior length, the dry van provides the most enclosed cargo volume of any standard road vehicle in use in North America. Many thousands are at work every day, traversing interstate highways and major roads while laden with anything from automotive or machine parts to electronic components and packaging materials. Most modern dry vans incorporate air suspension technology. This provides better shock absorption than leaf springs, which helps ensure delicate items arrive undamaged. These innovations, combined with their versatility and capacity, make dry vans a backbone of the freight industry, capable of handling a diverse range of cargo reliably and efficiently.
Transport
Dry vans excel in medium and long-distance transportation due to their capacity, efficiency, and speed, making them the go-to choice for intercity or interstate freight movement. Dry vans operate mostly between hubs or nodes where ample space exists for maneuvering, and factories, warehouses and distribution centers. Their size makes them a poor fit for city streets, and they are almost never deployed in "last mile" delivery roles. Where they are unmatched though, is in medium and long distance transportation. In these roles they are the fastest way of moving freight between two points.
Loading
Dry vans primarily transport palletized freight, as pallets make loading and unloading more efficient, typically using forklifts. Due to their length, alternative loading methods are often impractical. Despite their lightweight construction—designed to maximize payload capacity—dry vans are built with durable hardwood floors capable of withstanding the heavy weight and pressure of forklifts during loading operations. This combination of lightweight materials and robust flooring ensures they can handle demanding freight tasks while optimizing the load capacity for maximum efficiency.
Safety
The solid, enclosed structure of dry vans also provides excellent protection for the freight, keeping it safe from weather, dust, and other external factors during transit. This makes them ideal for transporting a wide range of goods, including retail merchandise, packaged foods, and industrial materials. Additionally, their standardized design allows them to integrate seamlessly into most supply chain operations, fitting well with loading docks and various logistics systems. This versatility, coupled with their ability to handle high-capacity loads efficiently, makes dry vans one of the most commonly used trailers in the freight industry.
Tracking Technology
To minimize delays and ensure on-time delivery, the dry vans we use are equipped with tracking technology. This lets our people monitor a truck's progress throughout its journey and provide the driver with rerouting instructions in case of bad weather or road congestion. The other benefit is that our clients can receive regular updates, enabling them to plan activities like equipment installation and production line startup. This level of communication is especially valuable for time-sensitive shipments, where precise coordination is critical. Moreover, it allows for proactive problem-solving, such as adjusting schedules or dispatching additional resources if unexpected delays occur.
Our Streamlined Process
Single point of contact
Work with the same expeditor during your shipment’s entire process–no annoying call centers!
shipment-to-vehicle matching system
We carefully match the size and weight of your shipment to the right vehicle.
Vetted & exclusive carriers
We work with vetted, experienced carriers, so you get one vehicle for the entire delivery process exclusive.
real-time monitoring & alerts
Our GPS tracking technology lets us know exactly where your shipment is at all times.
Types of Vehicles
53' DRY VAN
SPRINTER VAN
BOX TRUCK
STRAIGHT TRUCK
HOT SHOT TRUCK
FULL FLATBED
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