Industry and products
storage trailer
A storage trailer is a trailer used as a movable storage space instead of for hauling cargo from place to place. It has a floor, walls, a roof and doors at one end or both. NPSA members rent, lease and sell storage trailers, often in standard lengths from 28 to 53 feet.
Why it matters
A storage trailer works like a warehouse on wheels. It has roll-up or swing doors, and it works with a loading dock, a pallet jack or a forklift. Retailers often rent one for peak season. Contractors use them on job sites. An operator should know that a trailer on public roads falls under road rules, so brakes, lights, tires and inspections matter. A common mistake is to treat a storage trailer like a ground-level container. A trailer sits at truck-bed height, so the customer may need a dock, a ramp or a lift to load it. Ask the provider about delivery, access and who handles road service.
Definition source: npsa.org
Related terms
semi-trailer
A semi-trailer is a trailer built so that part of its weight rests on the truck that pulls it. Federal motor carrier rules define a semitrailer as a motor vehicle, other than a pole trailer, that another motor vehicle draws and that bears partly on the towing vehicle.
portable storage
Portable storage is storage in a container, trailer or similar unit that can be moved to the customer's site or elsewhere. NPSA describes portable storage containers as ISO shipping containers retired from international shipping and offered for rent and purchase on the domestic market. NPSA also includes trailers and mobile offices in the industry.
mobile storage
Mobile storage is storage that moves to the customer. The term is often used the same way as portable storage. NPSA's mobile self-storage page describes an empty mobile storage container delivered to your location, loaded at your own pace, then moved to a new place. Companies define the term differently.
storage container
A storage container is a container used to store goods, often a retired shipping container, that sits on a site and keeps items dry and secure. Companies rent or sell them in several sizes and conditions. Many have double doors on one end and can be lifted or moved on a truck.
DOT number
A DOT number is an identifier assigned to a company that operates commercial vehicles. Most people mean the USDOT number issued by FMCSA. It tracks a carrier's safety record from audits, inspections and crash reports. Rules differ by state for in-state carriers.
tag trailer
A tag trailer, or tag-along, is a trailer that hitches behind a truck on a drawbar or pintle hitch instead of a fifth wheel. Many tag trailers have decks that tilt so equipment can drive on without ramps. Capacity ranges widely, from light to heavy duty.
For the industry
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