Vehicle types

(tank train, silo train, tarpaulin train)

Definition:

Vehicle types Road freight transport differs depending on the transported goods, construction and technical equipment.
The most important types of vehicles used in the transport of chemical and industrial goods are:

• ‍Tanker:
  Consists of a truck with a permanently installed or attached tank body.
  Suitable for transporting liquid, chemical or dangerous goods.
  Variants: single or multi-chamber tank truck, insulated or heated, stainless steel or aluminum.‍
• Silo train:
  Used to transport powdered or granulated goods (e.g. plastic granulate, cement, food additives).
  Draining usually pneumatically (compressed air).
  Important: Cleanliness, absence of residual quantities and material compatibility.‍
• Tarpaulin train:
  A truck with tarpaulin body (curtainsider), suitable for chunky, palletized or packaged goods.
  High flexibility, easy loading and unloading from the side or from above.

Depending on product and location requirements, drivers and dispatchers must ensure that the correct type of vehicle is used to meet safety, hygiene and quality requirements.

_{Sources/further links:
ECTA — Truck Types and Equipment Guidelines for Chemical Transport: Guidelines | ECTA - European Chemical Transport Association
BG Transport — Vehicle structures and areas of application in road freight transport: Home — BG Verkehr
Cefic — Best Practice Guidelines for Safe Loading and Unloading of Road Freight Vehicles: Home - cefic}

Challenges when using various types of vehicles:

• ‍Lack of transparency about vehicle requirements: Shippers often define unclearly which vehicle types are approved for specific products or charging points.‍
• Wrong vehicle layout: Wrong vehicle type (e.g. tarpaulin train instead of tank train) leads to waiting times, rejection or safety risks.‍
• Lack of documentation: Technical specifications such as connections, heating systems or emptying methods are not standardized.‍
• High communication costs: Drivers often have to clarify requirements by telephone or email, which encourages errors.

_{Sources/further links:
Fraunhofer IML — Digital process integration in transport logistics: Logistics planning, research & development - Fraunhofer IML
ECTA — Chemical Road Transport Equipment Handbook: Guidelines | ECTA - European Chemical Transport Association
PwC — Supply Chain Transparency in Transport Execution: Make it happen with PwC}

Loady's solution:

Loady enables the precise storage of the permitted vehicle types and equipment for every location, charging point and every product.
As a result, freight forwarders and drivers know at the time of dispatch which vehicle type (e.g. tank train, silo train, tarpaulin train) is required and which technical properties (e.g. material, chambers, connections) must be met.

This data is standardized, provided in multiple languages and across systems and can be integrated into TMS, telematics or booking systems.
The Loady driver instructions also convey the requirements in a visual and language-neutral way, so that international drivers can also implement the requirements correctly.

The result: Fewer missed trips, higher safety and more efficient transport planning across all partners.