What is a curtainsider?
A curtainsider truck, also known as a Tautliner, gets it’s name from the curtains that feature on the sides of the vehicle where a traditional box trailer would be.
Curtainsiders come in a variety of sizes from 7.5 tonne up to 26 tonne and are mainly used for the transportation of goods across from various sectors. The goods are packaged and transported on pallets and are unloaded from the side by a forklift truck.
Features of Curtainsiders
Curtainsider trucks come with a range of abilities that make them perfect for use in the transportation and logistics industries, including:
Easily and efficiently transport goods
Designed for easy and efficient loading and unloading, the curtains that feature on curtainsiders work on runners that live along the top and bottom of the trailer. Along the bottom of the trailer, load retaining straps are tightened whilst in transit, to ensure the curtain doesn’t blow in the wind and stops the cargo from slipping sideways.
When the goods reach their destination, the load retaining straps are undone, the curtain is pull opened by a forklift truck and the goods are unloaded.
Euro 6 compliant engines
The euro emission standards came about in 1992, with the first being Euro 1. The standards are there to help reduce the levels of harmful exhaust emissions that vehicles emit. Newer models of trucks feature Euro VI engine technology – something we guarantee when hiring a vehicle from Mac’s.
Euro VI engine technology is designed to reduce these emissions through special filters that feature within the engine. These filters convert dangerous Nitrogen Oxide into water vapour and nitrogen. Thanks to the filters, the engines emit a third of the C02 and 20 times less NOX when compared to older engines.
Multi drop deliveries
Due to the rigid nature of traditional box trailers, once the trailer is loaded, you cannot gain access to the goods at the middle or the back until the front had been unloaded.
Curtainsider trucks take away the last on first off delivery process associated with traditional box trailers. Thanks to their curtain sides, they allow you to have easy access to all the goods and palettes on board regardless of what order they have been loaded on, making them ideal for multi drop deliveries.
Curtainsider contract hire
Here at Mac’s Trucks, were contract hire specialists and have a wide range of high quality vehicles including Curtainsiders that are available on both short and long term contract hire.
Contract hire can benefit your business in a range of financial and operational ways and we work with you to create a curtainsider truck hire plan that works for your business, and is fit for both the purpose and timeframe needed, other benefits include:
Cost effective: Contract Hiring a truck allows you to spread the cost either on a weekly or monthly basis. You can hire the truck you need without having to purchase the vehicle outright, resulting in lower monthly payments as your monthly costs are calculated to cover the vehicle’s depreciation, not the full cost. However, long term leasing also gives you the same branding options as purchasing does, meaning you can have your custom livery across the vehicle.
Repair and maintenance inclusive: Both repair and maintenance costs are included within our contract hire plans, so there’s no need to worry if the worst was to happen to your curtainsider truck, as we’ll repair at no extra cost. Plus, our curtainsider trucks are inclusive of our 6 week mandatory maintenance checks, we’ll just arrange the checks to be taken care of at a time that suits you.
No hidden extras: Your monthly costs are fixed – and we guarantee that for the length of your contract. Therefore if you should ever have any trouble with your vehicle, we’ll make sure it’s fixed as soon as possible, whilst providing you with a replacement vehicle in the meantime.
Find out more about our curtainsider truck hire and its features here, or contact us today to find out how contract hire can work for your business.