Inspecting Equipment Trailers
The first step in choosing an equipment trailer for rental is to physically inspect your prospective trailer. Inexperienced renters may look at photos on the Internet and assume that rental companies are honest in their condition reports. While many rental companies approach their listings honestly, your hard-earned money could be wasted on a poorly maintained trailer. Prior to heading to an equipment rental office, you should prepare a checklist of common problems to get the most value from your trailer rental.
The primary concern when inspecting an equipment trailer is the trailer’s structural integrity. An older trailer may bow in the center or feature bent sides because of oversized loads. The floorboards on a trailer should be inspected for severe splinters, displacement, and disconnection that can damage sensitive materials. After confirming the structural integrity of a trailer, you can focus on individual features like lighting and wheels before completing a rental agreement.
Prospective renters should test out the brake light bulbs and look at the light cover before renting trailers. The backup lights should be inspected, as well, to ensure the safety of other motorists and pedestrians. The wheels should be properly inflated and sit flush with each wheel well to avoid trailer overturns while driving. After this initial inspection is completed satisfactorily, your next step is to determine if your trailer works well with your vehicle.
Connecting Equipment Trailers To Vehicles
An inexperienced driver may rent an equipment trailer on specification without thinking about the trailer-vehicle interface. SUVs, cars, and light trucks may not necessarily have trailer hitches to connect these rental units. Every equipment trailer has to be connected to the vehicle’s electrical system in order to activate the brake and backup lights. Rental companies provide limited tutorials on how to attach equipment trailers, but you should understand technical limitations.
Before your equipment trailer is connected, however, you should understand height and weight capacities for your vehicle. An equipment trailer with a high or low profile can obscure your rear view when it is fully loaded. Equipment trailers made from heavy materials reduce fuel mileage and can damage vehicles if it is beyond their towing capacities. By understanding your vehicle’s limitations and capabilities, you can get the most out of your equipment trailer experience.
One-Way vs. Round Trip Rentals
Your equipment trailer rental may become a hassle if you have to return the trailer to an inconvenient location. The typical equipment renter offers discounted rates to trailer users for returning trailers to the original location. This policy is designed to reduce logistical nightmares and maintain continuity with each rental. While the lower daily rate may be great for long-term rentals, you should ask your equipment renter whether a one-way rental is possible. A one-way rental allows you to unload your materials at your destination and drop off the trailer without having to worry about an empty trailer dragging behind your truck.
Upgrades For Rented Equipment Trailers
The daily rental rate for an equipment trailer simply covers the trailer without any accessories or upgraded features. Even if you need a simple equipment trailer for a short time, you should ask your rental company about prospective upgrades. The most common upgrade to an equipment trailer is nylon straps to hold down bags, boards, and other loose materials. Rental companies also offer extra-long boards for rolling carts and small machinery unloaded from flat trailers.
Your rental company is likely to offer insurance and service upgrades to protect renters from the unforeseen. Equipment renters offer basic levels of general liability insurance to protect users financially in case of accidents. These insurance policies extend to the condition of the equipment because of natural damage with additional daily payments. Some rental companies offer discounted daily and weekly rental rates for advanced reservations made through their online servers.
Reliability Of Equipment Trailer Companies
The previous tips assume that your trailer rental company is trustworthy, reliable, and experienced. As you find the right equipment trailer to rent, you should also keep an eye on how the company deals with its customers. The ideal rental company offers online, phone, and fax assistance for customers outside its immediate area. Rental companies staff their outlets and rental centers with knowledgeable professionals capable of answering customer questions. In each of your interactions with a trailer rental company, you should keep notes on how you are treated prior to the final transaction.
The best way to find a reliable rental company is to leverage the power of the Internet in your favor. Consumers with bad experiences are likely to name local, regional, and national rental companies in reviews on websites and blogs. Newspapers and TV stations receiving tips about bad rental policies post their stories online to discourage poor decisions by consumers. In addition to your own experiences with equipment trailer rentals, you should look for the experiences of fellow consumers before diving into a rental agreement.
Online Resources For Rented Equipment Trailers
Your search for an equipment trailer rental should start with local and regional companies. Dahl’s Equipment Rentals Inc.© (http://www.dahlsequipment.com/index.htm) is a San Jose-based rental company offering equipment trailers throughout the Silicon Valley. This company maintains an updated online inventory of its new and used trailers to help renters find the right fit for their needs. Sunbelt Rentals© (http://www.sunbeltrentals.com/equipment/equipment.aspx?itemid=0240040&catid=s418) is a South Carolina-based firm that rents equipment trailers throughout the South. The company’s standard equipment trailer is relatively inexpensive, but durable enough for moves and light storage.
Renters looking for a broader range of equipment trailers available nationwide should look to major companies like U-Haul© and Penske©. U-Haul© (http://www.uhaul.com/trailers/) offers three trailers for consumers to select from ranging from the Sport® Trailer to utility trailers. The U-Haul© utility trailer is built from galvanized steel and features a gravel line to determine how much material can be loaded safely. Penske© (http://www.pensketruckrental.com/business_rental/) rents out equipment trailers, storage trailers, and trucks to consumers through its Business Rental department. These companies are ideal for professionals and movers traveling from one region to another because of their nationwide network of rental offices.
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