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Flat Bed Truck Rentals: Information Guide
Identify your need—is flatbed truck rental for you?
- Are you a mover in need of transporting of heavy and irregularly shaped items? It does not matter whether you are a home owner or a business that’s relocating.
- Are you a landscape business that needs a truck rental in order to transport items?
- Are you farmer needing transportation on the field?
- Do you own a ranch where you need a vehicle for transportation?
- Do you need an appropriate vehicle at your construction site?
- Are you a towing service needing to tow smaller vehicles especially cars?
- Are you a courier service with demanding needs?
If you have answered “Yes” to any of the above questions then a flatbed truck is the vehicle of choice for you. Understanding this you must also know that flatbed trucks are not exactly cheap – you may get a used model at 20,000 $ or a new model for 100,000 $. This of course applies if you are looking to purchase a flatbed. If you are mover you will obviously need a flatbed truck rental. Even for the other business needs you may go in for a flatbed truck rental if offers you a convenient and cost effective option. For a business needing a flatbed where maintenance of trucks is a hassle, going in for a flatbed truck rental with long term lease agreement is the obvious choice. If you are a business or small enterprise where expense is an issue, going in for a flatbed truck rental till your finances permit you to purchase a flatbed, is the answer.
Types of flatbeds
- Rigid : Useful in the landscaping industry and in construction sites
- Articulated : Useful for towing services
In selecting a flatbed truck you must have an idea of what your load carrying requirements will approximately be. The bed size of the flatbed will determine the dimensions of the load that can be carried while the load bearing capacity of the flatbed will determine how much weight can be carried in a single haul. Generally a flatbed truck can carry over 9000 pounds.
If you go in for a flatbed truck rental service either for local business or for long distance moving or transportation needs, you need to be aware about the fuel consumption that you are going to face. Average flatbeds give a mileage of 6 to 15 miles per gallon. Make sure that the flatbed you choose is diesel based. Confirm with the rental company beforehand.
Flatbed trucks commonly used have beds that range in sizes from 10 to 20 feet. Some flatbeds have railings to allow safer transport of goods.
Flatbeds used for local transport are designed such that there is ease of maneuverability whereas flatbeds for long distances have additional features such as sleeper cabins attached as you may want to sleep on the trip in between during long distance traveling.
When choosing your flatbed truck rental company see that the flatbed that they offer has additional features like sleeper compartments with insulation, additional mirrors to provide you good visibility.
When test driving a flatbed the things you should look out for are:
- Seat quality – The long distances will be very uncomfortable if the driver’s seat is uncomfortable. Originally seats used to come in 21” sizes but now the newer models of trucks have 24” sized seats and good upholstery.
- Visibility – See that you have a good view of the road. See that the mirrors are large and offer large fields of view.
- Maneuverability – See that your flatbed can handle sharp turns and is easy to drive.
- Sleeper cabins should be comfortable and temperature controlled with adequate size to allow you take a restful nap
When choosing a flatbed truck rental company do your ground work well and go in for a company after checking the background and references.