Trailer

Trailer

Trailer

The trailer is by far one of the first questions I get “How do I get a trailer?”, “What’s inside the trailer?”, “Do I need a trailer?”. The trailer has been around since the beginning. It’s one of the things that makes your business unique and helps you stand out.

Let’s touch on these questions.

Do you need a trailer?

No.

Is it nice to have a trailer?

It can be

Advantages of a Trailer

  • It can be wrapped
  • It sticks out as being unique
  • It’s small and light
  • It holds quite a bit of stuff
  • It can be your entire business in a small compact area
  • Very easy to drive with. You hardly know it’s behind you
  • You can store all the “smelly” stuff inside instead of in the back of your vehicle. It will keep your personal vehicle from smelling like a dirty grill.

What's typically Inside?

  • Usually a dip tank
  • Vacuum / Shop Vac
  • Degreasers
  • Trash bin
  • Extra Supplies
  • Wash Bin
  • Propane tank

Disadvantages of a Trailer

  • Storage space. If you have to park it in the garage, it can take up a spot for a personal vehicle
  • Because of how light it is, it bounces while driving down the road. It takes a beating over the years and will break down
  • The door is wide and heavy. The hinge wants to break off over time
  • The lid is heavy and the hinges break down over time
  • Street parking can be difficult. You have to find enough room for two vehicle lengths
  • If you’ve never towed before, backing up can take time to get used to
  • Turning around can be a challenge. The trailer is easy to jack knife
  • Security. The trailer is super light, even with all the equipment. Someone can easily pick up the tongue with one hand and literally walk away with the trailer. 
  • If you have employees, you might have to train them to tow a trailer

When I first started I felt I needed to have a trailer because that’s what was used and was considered a must have. My trailer is 10 yrs old. It’s been beat up over the years and is ready to be retired. It’s served it’s purpose but not sure I would get another one for my business. My biggest challenge is finding parking in the city streets. You can’t just pull in somewhere, you have to map out the area to determine where you can park. Also, storage is becoming an issue. It’s cumbersome and takes up space I need for something else. I’ve transitioned away from using a trailer, I only use my trailer a few months out of the year as it is. My trailer is used as backup now so it sits for a good portion of the year. 

For someone new in the business, a trailer is a good starting point because it’s typically one trailer pulled by a personal vehicle. When you decide to add more crews then you have to decide if you need a second trailer and a second vehicle to pull it with. The cost certainly begins to add up.

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