Enclosed freight bodies for weather protection, general freight and specialized side- or rear-loading work.
Choose a dry van when the freight needs a permanent enclosure and the loading sites can work with its door arrangement. Pallet count alone is a poor specification: the door aperture, interior width between obstructions, dock interface and floor loading all influence the job. A heated van can protect against freezing without providing the active cooling of a refrigerated trailer.
| Decision | What changes | Ask for |
|---|---|---|
| Composite or sheet-and-post | Compare the wall construction, repair method and cargo-control attachments. A smooth interior can reduce snag points, but the wall and restraint system still need to suit the freight. | Wall section, repair instructions and rated restraint attachment positions |
| Dock freight or delivery work | Swing doors, roll-up doors and side-access arrangements change the usable opening and how the trailer reaches a dock. A body dimension does not establish the clear door opening. | Clear aperture, dock height, threshold and liftgate requirements |
| Pallets or concentrated floor loads | A forklift crossing the threshold and a dense load standing on small feet create different floor demands. An advertised payload does not replace the floor rating. | Forklift axle/contact basis, floor specification and crossmember layout |
For Canadian year-round service, specify the actual freight temperature requirement rather than assuming an enclosed body provides freeze protection. Check door and slider operation in winter and keep equipped tare separate from the gross and axle limits for the intended route.
For route-specific checks, start with the applicable provincial authority. Alberta permit resources ↗ and Ontario permit resources ↗ explain their respective processes; neither is a Canada-wide clearance rule.
dry van · enclosed freight trailer · freight van
refrigerated trailer · reefer container
7 specification references cover 3 trailer architectures. Open the specification library for model-specific documentation.
Model references are supported by manufacturer documentation. Check each configuration for its available dimensions and ratings.
Each reference shows the feature that controls classification. It is not a dimension, rating, compatibility or availability source.
A dry van is an enclosed freight body. A refrigerated trailer adds insulation, active temperature control and its installed refrigeration system.
Enclosed cargo body; no active refrigeration is implied.
Insulated body with a front-mounted transport refrigeration unit.
A permanent enclosed freight body is canonical here. Heater or freeze-protection equipment does not establish active refrigeration.