How to Maximize Capacity for LTL Shipping
When it comes to fleet management, you understand more than anyone that every inch of your trailer’s interior space matters. This is crucial for maximizing your capacity while safely delivering expensive or fragile products to your customers.
Unlike one-size-fits-all solutions, our Champion dry van trailers are built for flexible cargo securement, with specifications that can be customized for your specific needs.
Mark Schultz, our Director of Van Product Engineering, has been at the forefront of Great Dane’s dry van innovations for more than two decades, leading the charge with an innovative approach to help our customers experience greater productivity.
“We can customize load securements and interior linings so that our trailers meet the unique requirements of every customer we serve. It’s not just about capacity—it’s about making every inch of space work harder for you,” Schultz explained.
Collaborating With Our Customers to Create Customizable Solutions
When one of our LTL-carrier customers needed new Great Dane sheet and post dry vans, we worked closely with their technicians to design trailers that offered maximum flexibility to accommodate their loads that varied in size and weight.
“One of the specs we provided is our Double Dex system,” said Brent Beasley, Director of National Accounts for Great Dane. “Double Dex increases load flexibility because it allows our customers to put pallets on the floor and adds a second deck for additional cargo. And because it works by using captive beam technology, the system helps decrease cargo damage while maximizing useable trailer cube space.”
Customizable Dry Freight Specifications
When we work with our customers on their trailer specifications, we go over every detail together from exterior and interior wall preferences to the different ways they need to haul and protect their cargo.
Some of our customizable options include:
- Custom Interior Lining Options: Choose from multiple linings to optimize interior width, enhance cargo protection, and minimize weight – such as PunctureGuard, SSL Galvalume Steel, HDPE plastic, insulated, and more.
- Tailored Load Securements: Safely transport a variety of cargo with securement features designed for your specific operational needs.
- Customized Scuff Band Options: Low-profile 12” steel scuff band is standard on sheet and post models to protect the trailer’s walls during loading and unloading, with multiple material options available.
These flexible designs let you make the most of your cargo while maintaining the structural integrity and durability that are necessary for long-haul operations.
Champion Sheet and Post: Durability for Heavy-Duty Operations
Do the challenges of your industry keep you up at night? Our Champion Sheet and Post dry vans are built for exceptional strength to withstand the demands of daily LTL operations.
Our durable floor system is just one example of how we’ve engineered strength in a high-stress area, allowing for heavy loads while minimizing wear and tear. We also offer an optional floor treatment that penetrates hardwood to create a waterproof barrier, protecting against harsh conditions.
“Our customers tell us they experience greater productivity because our trailers are equipped with durable features built for longevity,” Schultz said. “Our Champion dry vans are engineered with rugged features to ensure exceptional performance — even under the toughest conditions.”
Some of our durable components include:
- Hot-Dipped Galvanization: Adds a zinc coating to critical components for unmatched corrosion resistance.
- EnduroGuard Rear Frame: Provides exceptional protection against corrosion and keeps the trailer looking great for the long haul with a design that resist scaling, flaking, and discoloration.
- Innovative roof design: Our innovative design combines a tension-mounted aluminum roof sheet with anti-snag roof bows and a puncture-resistant translucent fiberglass option. This ensures durability while optimizing vertical interior space for stacking cargo, providing an edge to our customers for maximizing load capacities.
Champion Composite: Versatility for LTL Fleets
Our versatile composite trailers are also equipped for maximum cubic capacity, including post spacing available on 16″, 24″, and 50″ centers for flexible cargo securement.
“Our engineers consider every inch of our trailers,” Schultz explained. “When designing our Champion line, we focused on developing features that not only increase capacity but also enhance the overall use of the space.”
For maximized capacity, our composite trailers also offer:
- Recessed Logistic Posts: Offering maximum cubic capacity, our logistic posts are recessed at panel connection with smooth interior rivet heads, providing more space and a snag-free interior.
- Sidewall Protection: A full-length, one-piece extruded aluminum bottom rail with an integral scuff band design adds strength and rigidity and helps reduce sidewall bulging.
- Floor Strength: Our floors offer exceptional strength and allow for maximum interior width, extreme durability, and cargo securement, as well as weight and maintenance savings.
Safety Meets Capacity with Thoughtful Details
Our customers tell us it’s not just about fitting more products into their trailers, they also prioritize delivering their products safely. And we couldn’t agree more, since safety has been at the core of everything we do throughout the history of our company.
A few of our outstanding safety features include:
- Our award-winning RIG30 Rear Impact Guard has been certified by the IIHS earning the TOUGHGUARD award and exceeds American and Canadian safety standards. RIG30 protection extends across the horizontal length of the guard, protecting your driver as well as other drivers on the road.
- FleetPulse telematics technology, standard on all Great Dane trailers, offers asset tracking out of the box that enables our customers to make data-driven decisions. Upgrade options are available to add integrated door sensors and cargo imaging capabilities to protect your assets. The door sensors provide real-time insights, instantly alerting you of any attempted unauthorized access. Cargo imaging notifies you of changes to the load status before your trailer leaves the yard and while in transit.
Champion Dry Vans: Changing Challenges into Solutions
Every fleet owner needs an edge to stay ahead in an increasingly competitive industry. Champion dry vans can help you transport your loads smarter, safer, and more efficiently.
Create a fleet that’s ready for the long haul.
Contact us today to learn more about how Champion dry vans can maximize your capacity.
See how these innovative features can benefit your fleet — explore our Champion dry van interactive model today.