Transporting Heavy Loads? You May Need a Liftgate Semi Trailer.

If you’ve been in the transportation industry for a while, you’re probably familiar with liftgate semi trailers. You might have used them or, at least, seen them in action. But if you’re new to the business, you may be unfamiliar with liftgate trailers you rent or lease and interested in learning more about them.

This article explains what a liftgate semi trailer is, why you might need one, how this type of trailer works and more.

What Is a Liftgate Semi Trailer?

A liftgate semi trailer has an electric- or hydraulic-powered deck or platform at the end that can be raised or lowered to make moving loads into or out of the cargo area easier. You might think of it as a “mini freight elevator.”

When the driver isn’t using the deck, it folds up and sits parallel to the trailer door. The liftgate adds weight, which is one reason all trailers aren’t equipped with one. But in certain situations, a movable deck can be essential.

Why Might You Need a Liftgate Semi Trailer?

If you exclusively transport heavy items or pallets of goods or materials from and to sites that have a loading dock, you probably don’t need to own, rent or lease a liftgate trailer. On the other hand, if the origin or destination of a shipment doesn’t have a dock, you probably need this type of trailer.

One exception to that rule of thumb is that you may not require a liftgate if a forklift (and someone skilled in removing pallets from trucks) is available at both ends of the trip.

Scenarios where a liftgate...