The cost of operating tractor-trailers continues to rise due to a shortage in CDL licensed drivers and the enforcement of DOT regulations through electronic logging devices. This has motivated some companies using 53' van trailers to look for leaner, more efficient ways to deliver goods. A cost-effective alternative for many of these companies is 26' box trucks that can be operated by less expensive non-CDL drivers; are easier to maneuver in urban areas; and are rarely subject to the same strict DOT regulations as tractor trailers.
The only thing preventing some companies from switching to rigid-frame box trucks is they lack the drop and hook efficiency offered by tractor trailers. Our Swap Body System brings this efficiency to straight delivery trucks. Which, in turn, lets companies have all the benefits of using non-CDL trucks, with the added capability to load and deliver at the same time like a tractor trailer operation.
White Dove Mattress out of Cleveland, OH, is one company that has made the switch to our Swap Body system for straight trucks. In the past White Dove used only 53' tractor trailers to deliver mattresses from their distribution center to retailers, but they knew there had to be a better way. When looking into box truck options, their leasing agent brought up our Swap Body System and it made great sense for their operation. Their drivers would only need valid driver's licenses and medical certificates...no CDL required! Now, White Dove loads mattresses into a free-standing van body at their warehouse while their box truck is on the road making deliveries with a second body. When the truck returns it drops off the empty body and picks up a loaded one and in minutes returns to making deliveries in drop and hook style.
As the industry continues to evolve, there's no doubt that tractor-trailers will be an efficient form of transportation for moving goods long distances. That being said, rising costs of operating tractor trailers will drive companies to seek out more efficient ways to handle their local deliveries while staying exempt from DOT regulations. Our Swap Body System for straight trucks provides a superior delivery experience for customers, reduces costs by putting your drivers in non-CDL trucks, and lets you keep the efficiency of a drop and hook operation.
