Excerpt from an old trucking article:
There are literally hundreds of differing trailer types. Perhaps the most extreme are Michigan doubles, designed
to cope with the heavy loads of the local auto industry.
These double bottom outfits have as many as 13 axles running the length of the vehicle. Even semi-trailers may
have eight axles. Gross weight in Michigan is up to 136,000 lbs, and when not running loaded, some axles can
be lifted to save on the life of the rubber.
California also has design types unfamiliar in the rest of the country. Extra long tractor wheelbases are common
on the West Coast, mainly because they are more stable on the long, hard grades found in these parts.
Other trailer variations across the country include doubles and triples - illegal in most Northern and Eastern
states - lowboys, containers, loggers, bulk powder tankers, grain-hoppers, and numerous specialized designs, all
carefully planned to provide the most economic and safe means of transporting a particular load.
There are literally hundreds of differing trailer types. Perhaps the most extreme are Michigan doubles, designed
to cope with the heavy loads of the local auto industry.
These double bottom outfits have as many as 13 axles running the length of the vehicle. Even semi-trailers may
have eight axles. Gross weight in Michigan is up to 136,000 lbs, and when not running loaded, some axles can
be lifted to save on the life of the rubber.
California also has design types unfamiliar in the rest of the country. Extra long tractor wheelbases are common
on the West Coast, mainly because they are more stable on the long, hard grades found in these parts.
Other trailer variations across the country include doubles and triples - illegal in most Northern and Eastern
states - lowboys, containers, loggers, bulk powder tankers, grain-hoppers, and numerous specialized designs, all
carefully planned to provide the most economic and safe means of transporting a particular load.
A member driven organization that is there for all in the transportation industry, be sure
to visit the Kansas Motor Carrier Association at www.kmca.org
to visit the Kansas Motor Carrier Association at www.kmca.org
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