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Article: Trailer Longevity: Pushing a 'Mature Envelope'
- Article from:
- Transport Topics
- Article date:
- January 12, 2009
- Author:
CopyrightCopyright Transport Topics Publishing Group (TTPG) Jan 12, 2009. Provided by ProQuest LLC. (Hide copyright information)
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The longer a trailer lasts, the more valuable it is to many trucking fleets, so longer service remains a priority.
Yet, the are of improving technology, the costs inherent in extending useful life and regulatory factors suggest that replacing trailers sometimes outweighs holding onto them for dear life.
Most freight carriers now keep highway trailers in service for 10 to 15 years, although units exposed to harsh winter climate or frequent heavy loads can break down in only five to seven years. Some carriers keep trailers for decades, shifting them from longhaul routes to local cartage and eventually terminal drayage or on-site storage.
"I would like to see a trailer stay in service for 20 ...