Curtainsider haulage for pallets and groupage

What a curtainsider is

A curtainsider is a tractor unit with a trailer whose body is closed along the sides by curtains. The structure consists of a chassis with a flat deck, a rigid headboard, side posts that support the roof, and rear doors. The side curtains hang from rails at the top and slide back like a curtain, leaving the side open from end to end.

It goes by several names: curtain-sided trailer, tautliner and, in Spain, camión de lona. At Transcosur it is the trailer we use for palletised freight and groupage, two services where the goods travel on pallets rather than in bulk.

How a curtainsider is loaded

The big advantage is side loading. With the side open, a forklift places pallets straight into position from the ground, with no need for a loading bay. That means loading at buildings, warehouses and farms without a dock, and working from both sides at once. For the customer it means less waiting at loading and not depending on a free bay.

It can also be loaded from the rear, like a box trailer, when the customer has a loading bay. And on some models the roof slides back, so goods can be loaded from above by crane.

How the load is protected and secured

One thing needs to be clear: the curtain protects, it does not restrain. It shields the goods from rain, sun and dust, but the load is secured inside with the right equipment:

• Tensioned straps passing over the pallets and anchored to the chassis.
• Bars or boards between the posts, acting as a wall.
• Tight stowage, with no gaps, so pallets do not shift under braking or on bends.

Each load needs its own system. A tall, light pallet is not secured in the same way as a low, heavy one, which is why we ask how the goods are prepared before loading.

Why the curtainsider is the groupage trailer

In groupage (part loads), one lorry carries goods for several customers and makes several stops. With a box trailer, getting a pallet out from the front of the trailer would mean moving the ones nearer the doors. With a curtainsider you just open the side next to that pallet and lift it out with the forklift. That saves time at every stop and means less handling of other customers’ goods.

With full loads the advantage is the same: loading and unloading are faster, and you do not depend on having a loading bay at origin or destination.

Curtainsider or walking floor for pallets

Feature	Curtainsider	Walking floor
Loading and unloading	From the sides or the rear, with a forklift	From the rear, the floor moves the pallets out
Loading bay needed	No	Not for unloading
Several stops	Very convenient, only the section needed is opened	Less practical, pallets come out in order
Main use	Palletised freight and groupage	Bulk, and pallets as a return load

The walking floor can also carry pallets, which helps us fit in return loads. But if your goods are regularly palletised, the curtainsider is the trailer for them.

Which services we use it for

• Palletised freight as full loads.
• Groupage and part loads, with several collections or deliveries.

What we need to know to send you a curtainsider

• Number of pallets and size (Euro pallet, 1200 by 1000 or other).
• Approximate weight and whether the pallets can be stacked.
• How it is loaded and unloaded: forklift from the side, loading bay or crane.
• Origin, destination and dates, and whether there are several stops.

With that we confirm whether your load suits a curtainsider and send you a price.