Shippers who max out trailer feet before the legal weight limit of 45,900 lbs. may be leaving money on the table. Shippers can realize savings of over 30% on their transportation spend by utilizing load bars. Load bars can double the capacity of a trailer, by creating two tiers of space, allowing shippers to double-stack material and increase utilization of trailer space.
Q: What are the characteristics of freight that can utilize load bars to save money?
As a note load bars are used in all industries such as: manufacturing, automotive, consumer packaged goods, wholesalers, retailers, etc.
A: Characteristics include:
Non-stackable material Total shipment weight cannot be above the legal limits for a 53’ trailer between 42,500-45,900 lbs. Material should be short enough in height that there is overhead space available to put more material in a trailer or no taller than about 48 inches The length and width of the material needs to be able to fit into a trailer and be able to sit on load bars. (Trailer inside dimensions are Length: 630″ – 627,” width: 98″ – 101.5,” and height: 105″ – 110″)
Q: How much do load bars cost?
A: Approximately $85 per load bar.
They are recommended to use in pairs. A truckload may require 28 or more load bars costing approximately $2400.
Q: Why not just hire drivers or carriers that have them?
If the shipper owns them, then how do they get them back?
A: Most drivers or carriers will only have 2 load bars per truck so availability is tight.
If a certain truck does have the load bars available then it becomes a challenge to have that same truck return to the shipper to recycle the load bars on another truckload. If the shipper owns the load bars then the consignee can simply return the load bars via an LTL shipment.
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Q: What are the common mistakes that are made implementing load bars?
A: The load bars could be the wrong size for the trailer.
The tracking inside the trailer walls that the load bar uses could be spaced in a way that it does not work with the freight dimensions.
Q: Can the 3PL own load bars?
A: Yes, a 3PL can own load bars.
The 3PL can also take charge for recycling them on future shipments to be available when needed, and prevent common mistakes before they happen.
Q: How do I build the case to invest in load bars?
A: We recommended that shippers leverage the use of load bars to reduce the number of truckloads.
Instead of paying for the cost of another truckload this money can be saved. Shippers can realize savings of over 30% on their transportation spend.
