As a kid, one of my favorite trucks to see was a Mayflower moving van. I'm not sure why it attracted my attention. It may have been the forest green, yellow and red color scheme, the connection to Squanto or the romance of adventure at sea, but I think it was something more simple. These trucks look absolutely massive from the side because of their construction.
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| Drop frame moving van at warehouse loading dock. Image Credit David Swift |
The name given to this class of trailers is "drop frame". The inside floor of the trailer drops behind the semi tires to increase the interior volume and decrease the height of the floor to make hand loading easier.
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| Moving truck components. Image credit: David Swift |
Moving vans make extensive use of E track, a system of metal channels with slots to secure the cargo, build partitions to separate customer's possessions and build decks to add a "second story" to the inside of the trailer. Protective blankets, decking beams and sheets of plywood can all be stored in
belly boxes beneath the load floor. Most trailers have to be unloaded from back to front, but many moving vans have side doors to allow any part of the truck to be loaded or unloaded at any time.
Not everyone wants to be a moving van driver. It's more physically demanding than many other truck driving jobs because you actually need to help with the move. Other truckers call moving vans "bedbuggers". The upside is that many bedbuggers are equipped with an LCS. A Large Custom Sleeper is much larger than the sleepers on most semi trucks. It's like having a small motorhome attached to a 53 foot trailer. It is possible to use LCS's because moving vans tend to be loaded less heavily than other trucks.
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| Many moving vans have LCS's (Large Custom Sleepers) |
Moving vans aren't the only type of trailer that uses drop frame construction. Look for future posts about exhibit trailers, enclosed auto carriers and electronics vans.
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