TRUCKS & TRAILERS: Happy Trails

No matter what the size of their company, contractors need some type of vehicle to transport their equipment. But all the trailer choices – open, closed or none at all – can leave buyers wondering what’s right for them.

Kevin Richardson, sales manager, Wells Cargo, Elkhart, Ind., says contractors need to ask themselves these questions when shopping for trailers:

• How am I going to use the trailer?
• Am I going to use it every day?
• What size do I need?
• How much weight am I going to put on the trailer?

“The size and weight will determine the type of trailer axle capacity and what direction I guide them,” Richardson says, adding that the most popular sizes for closed trailers are 7-by-16 feet or 8-by-20 feet.

When contractors are looking for a trailer, they should discuss all of their needs in detail with the trailer dealer, says Brad Alden, territory manager, Featherlite Trailers, Cresco, Iowa. “Contractors should evaluate trailers based on the upper limits of weight and cargo volume they will want to accommodate,” he says. “This will determine everything from the axle capacity to the strength of the frame needed to the length and width of the trailer necessary.”

Alden says most contractors want a weight capacity between 3,000 and 5,000 pounds, including the weight of the trailer. But he advises contractors check first with their truck manufacturer for the optimum weight loads their vehicle can safely haul.

Richardson agrees the first step for contractors is to size the trailer to their truck. A three-quarter ton pickup is going to be able to pull a 7,700-pound gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) adequately. But if a contractor has a lightweight pickup truck, it might only be able to pull 3,000 pounds. “Having a 10,000 pound trailer behind you will burn up the truck’s engine because it doesn’t have enough power to pull that trailer,” Richardson says. “The first thing a contractor should do is find out the tow capacity of his vehicle. That allows him to figure out how big of a trailer he can get.”

OPEN TRAILERS. Contractors new to the business often select open trailers because of their low cost. “You can get an open trailer, depending on the size, from about $700 to $2,000,” Richardson says.

But some seasoned contractors like open trailers, as well. Suburban Landscape Management, Wichita, Kan., uses mostly open trailers. President John Biehler likes the open trailers because of the better visibility they offer when driving. “It’s difficult enough to pull a big trailer around in tight residential areas,” he says, adding that open trailer also keep visibility lines clear. In addition, open trailers make accessing equipment and tools easier. “Crew members can access them from every side,” he says.

Even though open trailers offer contractors easier access to equipment, they are also more susceptible to theft. Potential thieves can steal lighter equipment more easily when contractors aren’t watching or when they are working in the backyard while the trailer is in the front.

Biehler noticed one other problem with flat bed open trailers. When towing them, the riding mowers would often bump into and damage the smaller equipment. To prevent this, the company designed its own open trailer that has separate compartments for each type of mower, as well as separate gates to ease accessibility. The design also includes fuel tanks for refueling. Biehler estimates they have 25 to 30 flat bed open trailers and 20 of the custom designs.

Biehler points out that a good, heavy-duty open trailer might cost around $2,500 to $3,000, whereas a lighter, double-axle trailer might cost between $900 and $1,000. But with a $5,000 to $6,000 price tag, his custom design costs more. But it’s worth it to have it exactly the way he wants.

For contractors looking to simply haul equipment from job to job, open trailers are a good choice. “Open trailers are primarily for contractors who simply want to haul equipment from one site to another,” says Alden. “Enclosed trailers are more versatile. Contractors prefer them to haul and store equipment, as well as tools, in a secure, weatherproof environment.”

CLOSED TRAILERS. Like many contractors, Steve Anderson, president, Anderson Property Management, Leesburg, Ind., didn’t have the money for a closed trailer when he started in the business. “But we soon realized that enclosed trailers were a great advertising billboard,” he says, adding that the trailers also keep his equipment safe, clean and organized.

Because they are enclosed, the trailers protect tools and equipment from theft and outside elements. In addition, closed trailers also serve as a “portable garage,” Richardson says, which helps contractors save valuable space at the shop. “With enclosed trailers, when a contractor gets back to his shop, he can just unhook it and lock up his trailer,” Richardson says. “If he has an open trailer, he has to unload all of his equipment to take it indoors to make it safe.”

Another benefit, which Anderson realized, was that the sides of closed trailers can be lettered with the company’s name, logo and contact information, in effect serving as a moving billboard, Richardson says. “It’s great advertising for them,” he points out.

But these advantages do come with a higher price tag. Many first-time landscapers start out using open trailers because they’re less expensive, Richardson says. “Then they upgrade to an enclosed trailer when their business is established and they have a little more money to spend,” he says, adding that an 8-by-20-feet closed trailer costs about $7,500. “It’s more expensive, but in the long haul, the enclosed trailer is going to outperform the open trailer in durability and life expectancy.”

Richardson also points out the importance of buying some type of tie-down system when purchasing a closed trailer. “Contractors need to look at the available methods for securing their load,” he says. “Too many landscape contractors buy a trailer with no type of load security so it’s just shifting inside the trailer.”

Other popular options on closed trailers include flasher lights for use when the trailers are pulled off to the side of the road. “They’re a safety feature,” Richardson says, adding the price for that option is $200 to $400.
 
CUSTOM TRUCKS. For landscape contractors who are fed up with trying to maneuver trailers around tight city streets, truck and trailer combinations customized specifically for the landscape industry are an alternative way to transport tools and equipment.

The trucks can be easier to drive than towing a trailer, says Tony Bass, president, Super Lawn Trucks, Bonaire, Ga. Because of the length of a truck and trailer combined, Bass says drivers tend to catch curbs more often. “They cut the radius too short because they’re used to driving short personal vehicles, and truck and trailer combinations are long,” Bass says, adding that the trucks are often 25 to 30 percent shorter than a typical truck and trailer combination.

Mark Borst, president, Borst Landscape and Design, Allendale, N.J., is one contractor who likes the easier driving. With trailers, his crews would hit curbs and blow out wheels, as well as have trouble backing up. “We don’t have any of those issues now,” he says. “Box trucks are simpler. They’re like driving a car.”

The shorter length also leaves more space in facilities and yards. When he first opened his business, Borst used open trailers. He quickly moved into closed trailers because he didn’t have a lot of storage space, and closed trailers safely stored his equipment overnight.

But Borst realized he still needed more space, which is why he likes the custom trucks. Not only do they offer storage like closed trailers, but they take up less of his valuable real estate as well. “A truck and trailer takes up two parking spots, and we don’t have a large facility,” Borst says. “Box trucks take up less room in our parking lot.”

The trucks also help contractor organize their tools and other equipment, Bass says. “Organizing helps crews find tools faster, so they get more work done,” he says. “Even more importantly, when tools are stored properly, they last longer.”

Borst likes the fact that the trucks eliminate the need to load and unload his equipment each night. While that might not sound like a big deal, he says it can add up to significant labor savings over time. “It takes about 10 minutes in the morning and 10 minutes at night to load and unload open trailers,” he says. “When you have three guys, that’s an hour a day. Say we work 200 days, that’s 200 hours. The labor costs add up.”

Obviously, a truck costs more than a trailer. Cost depends on the options, but Bass says customized trucks can start at around $43,000.

Most contractors also opt for a hand and power tool storage option, most of which are under $2,000, Bass says. Another popular option are built-in fuel tanks mounted on the outside of the trucks. “Fuel transport tanks are specially designed to give a landscape maintenance crew enough fuel to last all week long,” Bass says, adding that the tanks typically save about $2,500 per years in labor costs if the contractor is running a three-man crew and going to a fuel station three times per week. The option costs about $2,600 Bass says.

The trucks cost more than enclosed trailers, but Borst says it’s worth it. “We figure the box truck is equal in value to buying a new truck and trailer,” he says.

The only other potential drawback is versatility. “We use ours strictly for lawn maintenance,” Borst points out. “Someone using it for multiple applications may not find it as versatile.”