What's the deal with walking floor trailers?

Abe514 · Jun 12, 2024

Hey all,

I'm just looking for information, as I'm way out of my depth.

I work at an asset based trucking company in Canada, East Coast. We also have a brokerage authority.

Someone from the Maritimes recently contacted my company inquiring about loads that need walking floor trailers. I had never heard of those before, so I did some research.

For the life of me, I couldn't find anyone that had one, at least not online.

70+ calls later here I am.

Does anyone know what direction to point me in, to find truckers that do this sort of thing? I'm not looking for a quick fix solution, but I'd love to know where to start.

Sons Hero · Jun 12, 2024

I pull one seasonally. This is a 53’ Dorsey, but if you are looking to buy, I highly recommend checking out Weaver Systems in Gap PA. Their Scrolltec trailer is TOP SHELF! One of my uncles has several of them, total unload 60 seconds or less. My walking floor takes about 10 minutes

Abe514 · Jun 12, 2024

That's a beaut haha.

What kind of stuff do you haul ? Mulch, wood chips?

And thanks for the recommendation!

Sons Hero · Jun 12, 2024

Mulch,wood chips, some feed ingredients, compost, and corn cobs

Grumppy · Jun 12, 2024

The waste industry uses them. When smaller communities don't have the revenue for a full service landfill, they used relay stations. Basically, they dig a rectangular hole n the ground just like a dock in which you back down into. They back a trailer down in there & local, rural garbage trucks go to the local relay station & dump their loads into trailers down in the hole or lower level.
When full, a truck gets it & takes it to a larger city or more populated area with a full function landfill.
Landfills won't usually have a stable surface in the dumping area so the 18 wheeler can't raise the bed of a 53 foot van/open top trailer without falling over in the soft surface. Therefore, they use a trailer with a walking floor.

Siinman · Jun 12, 2024

I have seen some dry vans have them. I was pretty interested in them at one time for a customer I did on a regular bases. Just did not want to buy one without getting a contract with that customer. Great idea for some places

Gearjammin' Penguin · Jun 12, 2024

Grumppy said: ↑

The waste industry uses them. When smaller communities don't have the revenue for a full service landfill, they used relay stations. Basically, they dig a rectangular hole n the ground just like a dock in which you back down into. They back a trailer down in there & local, rural garbage trucks go to the local relay station & dump their loads into trailers down in the hole or lower level.
When full, a truck gets it & takes it to a larger city or more populated area with a full function landfill.
Landfills won't usually have a stable surface in the dumping area so the 18 wheeler can't raise the bed of a 53 foot van/open top trailer without falling over in the soft surface. Therefore, they use a trailer with a walking floor.

Click to expand...

This is exactly our setup, and we run Mac trailers with Keith walking floors installed. Great explanation!

Abe514 · Jun 12, 2024

Getting great information so far, thank you guys.

This kind of trailer seems like it's fit for playing volume game honestly, one guy I talked to who used to have these but sold them told me he had upwards of 200 loads in as little as two months.

Albertaflatbed · Jun 12, 2024

I asked my wife, the ones going to Claystone Waste in Ryley AB (landfill facility) are all Titan walking floor trailers. City of Edmonton ships their waste to this landfill.

Deloupe out of Quebec makes walking floor trailers as well

Sons Hero · Jun 12, 2024

Wilkens makes a great trailer, Western and ITI do as well. JMHO a Keith floor is one of the best in the business. And if you order one, just don’t get a Litewalker. Not sure you can run a forklift on their floors, something with crossmember spacing? I have hauled palleted goods in mine, they are just like a van with a tarp roof. And, if you put your pallets on cardboard or old carpet remnants, you can walk them right to the back door as a guy on a fork truck picks them off. That can work if a dock isn’t readily available.

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