With freight costs rising and emissions targets tightening, trailer material choices now carry financial consequences. As a result, trailer material is more than just another detail on a spec sheet. It’s a core operational decision with a significant impact on your bottom line. We put together this guide to help logistics leaders choose a flatbed based on several factors, including payload efficiency, durability, and total cost of ownership.
CLC offers flexible fleet solutions, so there’s no need to commit to long-term ownership when you can lease the right trailer material for every job.
1. Weight and Payload Efficiency
Material weight affects a trailer’s handling and stability. It also affects payload capacity, which is the maximum combined weight of cargo and equipment the trailer can safely carry. It also contributes to gross vehicle weight, so choosing the right material is critical for complying with DOT regulations, boosting productivity, and maximizing revenue per haul.
Aluminum trailers are lighter than steel trailers, making them ideal for boosting hauling efficiency on weight-limited routes. Aluminum trailers are ideal if you want to maximize payload capacity.
Trailers made from steel are heavier but offer greater raw strength and structural rigidity. Steel might be the right material for your fleet if you’re more concerned with durability than with payload capacity. For example, steel is a good choice if you’ll be hauling cargo over rough terrain.
2. Durability and Longevity
Aluminum resists corrosion better than steel, but it’s not as durable under harsh conditions. In contrast, steel offers superior durability under frequent loading and unloading.
Before you choose a material, think carefully about your operating environment. Trailers constantly exposed to salt, for example, are likely to hold up better with aluminum. Terrain type and haul frequency can also influence your choice of materials.
3. Maintenance Requirements and Cost of Ownership
Aluminum trailers may retain higher resale value due to corrosion resistance. Although aluminum resists corrosion, it still needs to be cleaned regularly, especially when exposed to mud or salt. Despite these reduced maintenance requirements, aluminum is more expensive up front. It can also cost more to repair if it’s damaged.
Steel typically has lower upfront costs, but it requires ongoing rust prevention, making it more expensive to maintain. If you operate in a wet or corrosive environment, a steel trailer will also need more frequent repairs.
Note that the best value isn’t always the material with the lowest up-front price. You can pay less for steel only to discover that your long-term maintenance and repair costs are twice as high as they would be with aluminum.
Route type and mileage also matter. If your fleet sticks to well-maintained highways, choosing aluminum can help you save money without driving up your maintenance and repair costs. Because steel is more durable, it might be a better choice if your drivers regularly travel steep or uneven roadways.
4. Fuel Efficiency and Operational Impact
For every 100 pounds of additional weight, a vehicle’s fuel efficiency declines by up to 2%. Fuel efficiency also varies based on driving habits, trip distance, and how often you use a trailer. Aluminum may cost more up front, but it helps reduce fuel consumption over time, which can lower your total cost of ownership.
Steel is heavier than aluminum, which translates to higher fuel costs. If your fleet does short, regional routes, however, the difference may be negligible. Before choosing a trailer material, think about route length and operating conditions. Despite its impact on fuel efficiency, steel is often a better choice for fleets going long distances across rough terrain.
5. Environmental and Industry Considerations
Many companies are trying to reduce their environmental footprints, leading them to set sustainability goals for fuel consumption, emissions, and recycling. If you ship products to other companies, some of your customers may also have sustainability-related vendor requirements.
Your choice of trailer material can significantly impact your sustainability goals, so it’s essential to understand the differences between aluminum and steel. Because aluminum flatbeds typically have better fuel efficiency, they may be a better fit for your sustainability program.
The U.S. Department of Transportation also has weight limits for each class of commercial vehicles. If you carry heavy cargo, choosing aluminum may help you comply with these regulations when using interstate highways and U.S. routes. States control the weight maximums on non-federal roadways, so pay close attention to your routes when choosing a flatbed material.
6. Should You Lease Aluminum or Steel Flatbeds?
When you buy a flatbed, you must commit to one material for a long time. In contrast, leasing allows you to adapt your fleet to evolving freight, routes, and contracts. Contract Leasing Corporation gives you the flexibility you need to adjust to changing market conditions.
Leasing also reduces the risk of choosing the wrong material. If you find that aluminum doesn’t hold up well under your operating conditions, you can easily switch to steel at the end of your contract.
For example, start with a few short routes to make aluminum a cost-effective choice. Now imagine that you land a contract that requires one of your drivers to travel hundreds of miles across hilly terrain. Switching to steel can help you keep your maintenance and repair costs in check.
CLC can help you optimize for the right material at the right time, maximizing flexibility while keeping your costs as low as possible.
Choose the Right Material Without the Commitment
Aluminum and steel both have pros and cons when used to make flatbeds. Aluminum usually costs more initially, but it resists corrosion, boosts payload capacity, and maximizes fuel efficiency. Steel costs more to maintain and repair, but it also holds up better in harsh operating environments.
The good news is that you don’t have to commit to just one material. Leasing with CLC allows you to fine-tune your trailer specs without tying up your capital. CLC is proud to be a leasing partner that understands the material science and operational requirements of flatbed fleets. Request a quote today to find out how affordable it can be to expand your fleet.
