If you are looking into the trucking industry for a job, one of the things you will notice is the different types of trucks you can drive. You might have seen the trucks a thousand times, but there are many points you need to figure out as you choose the right one. To be better prepared, start with learning more about the most common type of trailer on the road. This is the dry van trailer, according to a Transportation Research Board paper.
What is a Dry Van?
Many dry van trucking companies will offer you a job driving a truck attached to a box on wheels. You haul everything and anything that can fit in this box, and you do not need to worry about temperature control. You can carry auto parts, building supplies, clothing, food, and just about anything in this trailer. This includes liquids in containers ranging from drums, to buckets, and even totes.
What You Cannot Carry
Hauling a dry van trailer does not require taking into consideration specialized concerns. However, keep in mind these points:
* You cannot haul anything that requires pumping or dumping out
* You cannot haul oversized loads
* You cannot haul open liquids the way that tankers can
Apart from that, all you simply do is throw it in the box, and off you go. There may be times where you might be required to transport hazardous materials, but this is not unique to dry van hauling.
The Pay
Since any driving job pay is based on specialized skills or job difficulty, the only way to boost your pay is taking on jobs that may require you to help in loading or unloading. However, this is not that common.
These companies may also require “driver assist.” This means that you offer a lending hand in unloading the shipment. In most cases, this does not require much, since it may be limited to counting products going onto your trailer or moving pallets out of the way. Most of the jobs requiring unloading and loading are local or regional.
