So you’ve decided to move forward with a container rental. Great! But you want to make sure everything goes smoothly come delivery time. Here are a few tips to help your delivery be a seamless and effortless process.
What Should I Check Before Ordering a Container?
There are a lot of factors to consider when preparing for a delivery. There’s a bit more to keep in mind than just measuring the size of your drop location to see if a container can fit there. Things like approach angle, entry clearance, level ground, are just a few things you should factor in when seeing if you can fit a storage container at your house/facility.
When dealing with larger container companies such as PODS, Mobile Mini, William Scottsman, and more, it can be a bit difficult to get real idea whether you can feasibly fit the unit. Then, if it turns out you can’t, you are left with nothing but a delivery charge for a storage container you never actually received.
Here at Ark, we take a more personal approach. Mike and Noah are available to assist with any concerns you might have through the ENTIRE delivery process. They take the time to truly assess whether fitting a shipping container is possible. However, here are a few checks you can make before you even start the process:
Doors to Cab
Doors to Trailer
Container Delivery Checklist:
Delivery Approach Angle:
Most container companies use what’s known as a tilt deck trailer to deliver their containers. It works by driving the truck drives over the designated drop location, then tilting the trailer which the container is mounted on down to the ground. The truck then pulls out the trailer from under the unit. However, a typical delivery truck needs roughly 80 feet of straight line clearance. This means the truck requires 80 feet in front of the container to back in and straighten out the unit to your preference. So, when you are measuring to see if you can fit a container, measure not only the size of the container, but 80 feet in front of the unit for a smooth delivery. Ensure the 80-foot space is clear of any obstacles that might disrupt the truck being able to approach the drop spot.
When dropping the unit, you need to notify your container provider whether you want the doors facing the cab side of the delivery truck or facing the trailer side. One way to think of it is when do you want the doors to come off the trailer? If you want the doors to come down first, this is known as doors to trailer. When you want the doors to come off last, this is doors to cab. Here are some example photos to give you a better idea.
Most container companies use what’s known as a tilt deck trailer to deliver their containers. It works by driving the truck drives over the designated drop location, then tilting the trailer which the container is mounted on down to the ground. The truck then pulls out the trailer from under the unit. However, a typical delivery truck needs roughly 80 feet of straight line clearance. This means the truck requires 80 feet in front of the container to back in and straighten out the unit to your preference. So, when you are measuring to see if you can fit a container, measure not only the size of the container, but 80 feet in front of the unit for a smooth delivery. Ensure the 80-foot space is clear of any obstacles that might disrupt the truck being able to approach the drop spot.
When choosing a spot to drop your container, you should check to see whether the ground is level. Unlevel ground can lead to the container leaning one side rather than being completely grounded. Besides being a safety hazard, this can also inhibit the ability to open the doors of the container. If all the weight is on one side of the unit, the locking bars of the doors can be too weighed down to turn completely and unlock the unit. If you ground is NOT level, you should notify your provider prior to delivery. They can usually work around this by mounting the airborne side on planks of wood or cinderblocks to even out the weight distribution.
Prepare BEFORE you Pay!
These are just a few tips to help you get ready for a container BEFORE you commit to one. At Ark, we offer free walk throughs of your facility to ensure the delivery process will go smoothly! Call now for a free consultation or quote on your next shipping container rental/purchase.
