Spacious interiors. High ceilings. Hardwood floors. Move-in ready and highly sought after.
We could be describing the latest real-estate listing in your neighborhood, but we’re not. We’re talking about 53-foot dry vans. Their features make them the most important boxes in shipping for a good reason—shippers can put almost anything inside.
From consumer goods to industrial equipment, nearly any non-perishable product can move in a dry van. They haul a wide range of products every day, but it is essential to understand their capabilities and limitations. While every freight provider has their own set of policies for what they’ll move in their dry vans, here is a general look at what you can and can’t put in one.
What do dry vans haul?
Dry vans are one of the most versatile options in trucking for truckload and less-than-truckload shipments. They keep the freight inside clean, dry, and protected and can haul nearly anything that can be packaged or palletized. Clothing, health and beauty items, sporting equipment, and toys are just some of the products dry vans haul. Even odd-shaped items like kayaks and kitchen cabinets can move inside a dry van.
Some liquids are welcome
Despite the name, dry vans can even transport liquids if they’re loaded in pre-packaged containers, including drums and totes, and aren’t hazardous. This includes items like beverages and concentrates as long as they don’t require specialized handling and meet all regulatory requirements. Bulk and unpackaged liquids need to move in tanker trucks.
Don’t spoil it
Dry vans can typically haul non-perishable food products that are completely enclosed in a container. Pre-packaged shelf-stable food and beverages are welcome, but those that don’t fit in that category are off limits. Any goods requiring refrigeration, freezing, or other temperature or environmental control need to be hauled in a refrigerated trailer known as a “reefer.”
For any load containing food, shippers must include any food safety-related handling requirements, such as cross-contaminant restrictions, segregation or isolation of food consignments, and temperature range requirements in their service requests.
Keep it commercial
Most dry van trucking services are for business and commercial purposes only, and carriers can’t haul personal effects and household goods for individual, personal, or household use. This includes automobiles, alcohol, and any other items otherwise prohibited for transportation by law. In other words, the trailers we’re talking about here are not for use when you move houses.
Which products are prohibited in dry vans?
Some goods are commonly restricted inside a dry van due to safety and contamination concerns. Hazardous materials, substances, and waste—also known as HazMat—can’t go inside a dry van unless the carrier is specifically certified and the trailer is properly placarded. Dangerous goods, chemicals, refuse, or garbage also require special handling and aren’t typically moved in a dry van unless it is with a specialized carrier.
Who decides what carriers can haul?
What can and can’t be hauled in a dry van is determined by a mix of federal regulations, carrier policies, and contract terms. The Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration enforces rules related to hazardous materials and safety. Carriers also have their own requirements and outline what they will and won’t carry in their contracts.
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