WHY INVESTING IN DUMP TRUCK TARP SYSTEM WILL MAKE YOU A BETTER ARTICULATED HAULER For haulers that tend to drive or deliver dump trucks, the chance of debris flying out of an opened container or truck and hitting other motorists or damaging windshields is a real, yet preventable, risk! While having exposed tops on your dump truck allows for easier loading and unloading of the material, you shouldn’t keep that top open during long travel or while on highways. Responsible dump truck haulers know that the best way to prevent your load from spilling out and damaging other vehicles is to invest in a tarp systems for truck and trailer. Investing in a dump truck tarping system means knowing your truck and your loads! Know whether you’ll benefit more from an electric tarp system or a manual tarp system for your dump truck, and consider purchasing accessories that fit to your tailgate for easier and safer attachments, air valves, and indicators for the body of your dump truck which can, for example, notify when the body is raised before or after loading and unloading a load. It’s important to remember that no two dump truck tarps are designed the same! Depending on the type of material you haul in your dump truck, you may benefit from purchasing a waterproof product compared to a mesh tarp! It all comes down to knowing your load and making sure you are investing in the right accessories to make your job easier without risking the safety of your fellow motorists! 5 REASONS TO USE DUMP TRUCK TARPS It’s a common argument that tarping your dump truck is a matter of preference and only viable if you have the time to spare attaching a tarp before you hit the road. However, beyond the responsibility of protecting other drivers or vehicles that may be behind or around you on the road, there are laws that differ in each state regarding the legal requirements for dump truck drivers. Below are five reasons you should use a dump truck tarp system: 1. DIFFERENT STATE LAWS: A big consideration you should have as a dump truck driver may be one you didn’t know to be aware of: each state has different laws and requirements for articulated haulers. Some states require all dump truck loads be tarped before you hit the road while others are more relaxed with the regulations or lack any at all! Lacking a dump truck tarp system or any covering over your materials when you cross state lines could result in a hefty fine or ticket, and some states may even require your truck to be taken out of service until the load is secured to their specifications. In an industry where time is money, hours spent negotiating with law enforcement or securing a tarp instead of driving to your destination can result in a damaged reputation and financial loss. The easiest way to avoid this scenario is to invest or install in a dump truck tarp arm kit! 2. ACCIDENTAL UNLOADING: Though a rare occasion, it is possible for you to accidentally or prematurely hit the switch or button which dumps your truck bed or lifts the body of your vehicle into the dumping position. Regardless of where you are, all your contents will land on what is directly behind you, from covering and possibly damaging another vehicle to severely harming a person. If you have a dump truck tarp kit installed to your truck, however, all or most of your materials will be caught by the tarp and prevent them from spilling out in the wrong spot at the wrong time! 3. DIFFERENT TARPS FOR THE PERFECT JOB: Like with any tarping system, keep in mind that there are different types of dump truck tarps with their own benefits and unique designs or utilities! While each type brings its own benefits, one tarp may be more beneficial for a specific job than another. Mesh Dump Truck Tarps: Mesh tarps are specifically designed for use on dump trucks and can fit most standard electric or manual dump truck tarp systems. They are designed with polyethylene fibers and thus are able to withstand recurring uses and rough jobs! Mesh material allows for air flow throughout the tarp, eliminating any wind resistance that could risk tearing or abrasions on your tarp! These Mesh Dump Truck Tarps are best for hauling rock, sand, debris, plants, and other loads that do not need protection from water or moisture and benefit or require airflow during transportation. Waterproof Vinyl Dump Truck Tarps: Typically, these heavy-duty waterproof tarps are designed to provide complete protection from the elements and keep your loads dry no matter the weather you’re traveling through! Designed to fit your standard electric tarp systems for dump trucks and manual tarp systems, vinyl dump truck tarps are built with reinforced webbing along both sides of the tarp and have evenly spaced, rust-proof grommets for easy tie-down or attachment to a tarp roller bar! Asphalt Dump Truck Tarps: Asphalt tarps are an example of a tarp designed for a specific purpose. Asphalt dump truck tarps are built to perform well and last long in high heat environments. Asphalt tarps are lighter and easier to work with compared to the heavy-duty waterproof vinyl tarps, and they will not stick to your asphalt or be burnt through! While these tarps are extremely water and wind resistant, these are not recommended if you are hauling material that MUST remain dry; the fabric for asphalt tarps have a narrow width which may allow moisture to seep through. 4. COVERS ALLOW FOR NEW LOAD TYPES: Dump trucks have a unique design that may be beneficial for the transportation of materials or cargo not normally considered for dump truck hauling. While material like rock, sand, and debris is most common on a quarry, water is also needed to rid softer materials and soil away; while it’s not often considered, dump trucks can help with the transportation of this water! Placing a dump truck tarp system over your water/liquid or non-solid material will allow you to confidently deliver the load for miles without spillage! 5. PREVENTING ROADWAY ACCIDENTS: The most important task of any truck or cargo hauler is ensuring your loads are secure before hitting the road, because should your cargo come loose during transit you put the lives of other motorists at risk. For dump truck haulers, you may be required to carry large or heavy loads of rock or debris from one location to another, which may require you to travel on congested highways and very public roads. Should you hit a particularly hard bump or make a sudden turn or break, your load can jostle and jerk out from the top of your dump truck and onto the road! It’s not just a nightmare for you – any drivers behind you at the time may swerve or make hard, sudden breaks to avoid the debris, thus causing a traffic jam at best and a serious accident or death at worst! Installing a dump truck tarping kit over your material, no matter how heavy the cargo or how bumpy the road condition, you can drive easily knowing your material will stay IN the truck bed and that you’re helping to prevent a roadway accident! How to Tarp a Load: Tarping Tie-Down Steps for Flatbed Trailer Flatbed truck tarps are used to protect cargo from debris, ice, inclement weather, and other damaging elements during transport. They usually come in a wide variety of materials, sizes, and even functionality. There is also no one-size-fits-all solution for these products. All these factors can make it extremely challenging for the uninitiated to effectively determine just what kind of tarp is ideal for their exact needs and preferences. To this end, this article has been specifically designed to briefly elaborate on some of the most common varieties of these items, and what use they are generally put through. Types of Flatbed Tarps: There are a wide variety of tarps out there that can cover your flatbed load. The main 8 types of tarps available are: Lumber Taps Smoke Tarps Steel Tarps Machinery Tarps Coil Tarps Parachute/Air Bag Tarps Side Kit Tarps Bee Hauling Tarps Lumber Tarps These products are primarily used to protect the lumber from exposure to the elements as well as being in contact with the flatbed truck’s exterior components. Despite this fact, this type of tarps can also be used for safely transporting other kinds of cargo. Lumber tarps come with flaps at their ends that are meant to cover the nether regions of a flatbed truck’s load. Smoke Tarps This category of flatbed truck tarps is designed to effectually wrap around the front area of the flatbed load. In essence, they are meant to protect cargo from accumulating soot, dirt and more importantly, the truck’s exhaust emissions while it is in transit. Smoke tarps can also be utilized to prevent the wind from generating the unnerving whistling sound that emanates from transporting cargos such as PVC and steel pipes. These tarps, for the most part, come with 10X12 dimensions. Steel Tarps This variety of tarps features a 4-sided severe steel construction that is totally devoid of flaps. This unique configuration makes steel tarps excellent for transporting: Cables Steel rod Sheet metal Dump Truck Tarps This is a waterproof tarp that is primarily designed for protecting dump truck loads. However, it can also be used for with other similarly styled trucks like: Fertilizer tenders Trailers Grain carts Grain trucks We also provide construction tarp and other tarp，you have several choice.