Explore The Different Prime Mover-Trailer Combinations In Australia
The trucking industry plays a huge role for the Australian domestic growth. The low population density and the long distances between markets, makes the country to be highly dependent on using road freight services. The trucking industry is becoming very complex, and when speaking in numbers, it carries around ¾ of Australia’s domestic freight. Since there are different types of freights, for transportation of different loads, the companies use different types of trucks and trailers. There are different trailers, and each one is used for specific type of fright. The only thing all prime trailers must respect are the Australian codes and regulations. Let’s explore the most commonly used prime trailers in Australia starting with the double B trailers.
Prime Mover & Double B Trailer – A prime mover that pulls double B trailers behind is the most common combination you can see on the roads and highways all over Australia. These units are capable to carry very heavy loads with great cost-efficiency over long distances. The benefit of using double B trailers is that there are special routes throughout Australia which are constructed specifically for these trucks and trailers. A combination of prime mover and a double B trailer can be up to 26 m. Although it has some disadvantages, it is the best choice for transporting different types of loads.
Prime Mover & Multi-Combination Trailer Configuration – For extremely heavy or unusual loads, this combination works best. A prime mover can be joined with: double B trailers, triple B trailers and double trailer road trains, to form a multi-combination trailer. These units are colossal and cannot be seen on the public roads. They are not so cost-efficient, and they are used exclusively for freights that cannot be hauled by other prime mover-trailer combination.
Prime Mover & Low Loader – This combination is used for transportation of heavy earth-moving equipment, such as bulldozers, wheel loaders, excavators, etc. The deck height of the low loader is significantly lower when compared with any other trailer. This means that these vehicles can load machines from ground level. With carrying capacity of over 1000 tonnes, the low loader trailer is one of the most commonly used trailers in the trucking industry.
Prime Mover & Refrigerated Trailer – The combination of prime mover and refrigerated trailer is used for transportation of temperature-sensitive goods. The refrigerated trailer is more expensive option than other trailers, since it is equipped with a specific cooling unit that keeps the products inside at constant temperature. There are two refrigerated trailer types: chillers and freezers. The chillers keep the products in a semi-frozen condition, while the freezers are used to keep the products at a temperature below freezing.