Walking floor trailer
A walking floor trailer, also known as a ‘moving floor’ trailer, enables virtually any type of bulk material to be transported loosely and for it to be removed safely without the need for it to be ‘tipped’ out of the trailer, as with the more traditional bulk haulage trailer type.
Bulk material is loaded via the roof of the trailer and then covered prior to being transported. At the delivery location, the rear doors are opened and the load is gradually moved out of the trailer’s rear and onto the surrounding ground. The gradual movement of the load is made possible by the hydraulically controlled floor system’s ‘planks’ performing alternating shifting movements.
Depending on key elements of the specification, such as floor type and thickness, and body durability, walking floor trailers can be used to carry anything from grain food, biomass, household waste, commercial waste, green waste, wood, solid recovered fuels and even palletized goods or reels.
Walking floor trailers can be specified for use ‘on-road’ or ‘off-road’, with the latter providing additional durability to handle regular operation at landfill sites or on the more unorthodox ‘roads’.
Not only do walking floors provide health and safety benefits but can be extremely useful when it comes to tight spaces at the point of loading / unloading or where there is a lack of loading / unloading equipment present.
Key considerations when it comes to specification includes cubic volume, durability of floor, durability of body and chassis in general and additional features, such as ladder, roof type etc.
Walking floor trailers are manufactured by Legras, Knappen and BMI.
TIP offers walking floor trailers on a short-term rental or a long term lease basis from selected manufacturers.
Walking Floor Specification Options
- Volume options, typically 99 m³ / 130 y³
- Floor ‘slat’ thickness and type (e.g. aluminium or steel) options
- Manual or automatic / hydraulic roof options
- Net or canvas roof options
- Barn or hydraulic door options
- Manual, electric or hydraulic moving bulkhead options
- Accessory options e.g. ‘catwalk’ ladder
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How does a walking floor work? A walking floor is made up of ‘planks’, typically aluminium in construction, that work in groups of three to shift the cargo from the front of the trailer to the rear and ultimately out of the rear of the trailer. Usually all three planks from each group move rearwards so that the cargo moves with it. Then, one plank from each group will ‘discreetly’ move in the direction of the front of the trailer, followed by the second in the group and then the third. In doing so, much of the cargo stays where it was (i.e. doesn’t return towards the front of the trailer again) and the process is then repeated. A moving bulkhead can be used to get the last load out of the trailer. |
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Can anything be transported in a walking floor trailer? Yes, virtually anything, but it is important to have the correct specification, in terms of floor type and general durability, in order to ensure damage does not occur to the trailer. For example, a specification may be suitable for transporting biomass, wood / paper or household waste but not necessarily commercial / industrial waste. Likewise, neither may be suitable for transporting glass, aggregates (such as sand, rock salt, lime) or scrap metal, all of which may require a ’steel’ floor to ensure the ultimate in durability. In requesting a specification, consideration should also be given to where the trailer will be operated, such as ‘on-road’ or ‘off-road’ to ensure it can withstand regular use for the operation intended. |
