Dry Van Shipping

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What is Dry Van Shipping?

Dry Van shipping is what most people think of when they think of shipping.  It is the most common mode in logistics management, if you see a semi-truck on the road chances are it is pulling a dry van trailer. The term ‘dry van’ comes from the fact that the trailer keeps the goods inside dry and protected from the elements such as rain or road debris. Dry van will work for any kind of shipment that does not have a special requirement such as temperature control.

Benefits of Dry Van Shipping

Multitude of Options

Dry van is the most common type of trailer out on the road. Therefore, the supply is high and you have plenty of options to choose from.

Faster Delivery

When compared to LTL and other more complex modes, dry van is always going to ship faster due to the simplicity that is involved.

Competitive Rates

Dry load shipping is in high demand but there is also a large amount of dry van truck drivers. This results in competitive and fair prices for you.

Price Affecting Factors of Dry Van Services

There are many factors that impact the pricing of dry van shipping and shipping in general. It is important to know these factors so that you know what your pricing should be when working with a transportation broker. Some major impacts on dry van pricing are listed below.

Origin, Destination and Lanes – like all modes of shipping the origin and destination of the shipment will be the major driving factor in your shipping costs. It is also worth noting that it is not simply a matter of distance traveled but rather lanes taken. Popular lanes are taken by a lot of drivers which means they will be cheaper.

Seasonality – Seasonality can be a huge driving factor in the cost of shipping. The biggest season impacting shipping is the produce season which starts in spring and goes into early summer. It is important to plan around seasons as much as you can if you want to save on your shipping.

Deadhead Miles – This is one of the factors in shipping that is often overlooked and difficult to plan for. Deadhead miles is how many miles the driver must go to get to the pickup location. If your pickup location is within a major hub it should be easier to find someone closer which means less deadhead.

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Information Needed for a Dry Van Quote

Building a dry van quote is pretty simple since, for the most part, there are no additional elements to consider. Unless your freight is some kind of specialty freight or if there are some sort of time constraints then all that is needed is the origin and destination. With that information, a Becker Logistics associate will be able to generate a preliminary quote for you.

Specialty Truckload Services

  • Hazmat – Hazmat dry van is pretty common and can include shipping anything from paints to batteries to combustible materials. Shipping hazmat material does come with a lot of additional handling and permits. Becker Logistics has a large network of carriers that can handle hazmat. If you would like to see if we could take care of your hazmat freight you can reach out to an associate by requesting a quote below.
  • Specialty sizes – The standard dry van trailer is 53 feet in length, 8.5 feet wide and 9 feet tall.  However, there are many variations on these dimensions. Some of the more standard specialty dry van sizes are 28 feet in length and 48 feet in length but the options are endless.

Tips For Dry Van and Truckload Shipping

Make use of lead times when shipping truckloads. The more time you have, the better rate you will be able to get.  Therefore, you should plan out your shipping in advance in order to find the best solution. Additionally, if you are shipping a lot of dry van loads it is worth building a partnership with someone instead of doing constant spot quotes. Look around to find a company that will work for you in logistics. If you want to check our offerings, then click here and reach out to a representative.

Dry Van FAQs

  • How much weight can a dry van trailer hold?
    Dry vans can hold up to 45,000 pounds, although drivers may only agree to haul up to a certain amount.  Therefore, it is always good to double-check with the driver if you are shipping above 42,000 pounds.
  • How many pallets can a dry van trailer hold?
    If the pallets are all standard size (40” x 48”) then you should be able to fit 30 pallets into a trailer. For more custom pallet sizes or trailer sizes you would have to consult with the driver to see what they are comfortable with.  When it comes to truckload shipping, there are always interesting ways to configure your pallets.

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