Freighter EziLiner pays dividends

Road transport specialist Gilders Transport has added two Freighter EziLiner B-doubles to its fleet, and says the trailer's award-winning technology is boosting its bottom line by significantly raising productivity.

Freighter describes EziLiner as a 'semi-automatic buckle-less system', whereby drivers can quickly hook and unhook the trailer's curtains using a single control. Freighter says the system has won considerable acclaim, even winning a 2008 Australian International Design Award in the Automotive and Transport category.

The technology caught the eye of Gilders Transport, a family-business that's been operating for nearly 40 years. Based in Sydney, the company offers a range of interstate freight services between the eastern capitals – services it handles with a fleet of 60 vehicles.

Brad Gilder, Director of Gilders Transport, said the firm's new EziLiner B-doubles – one a straight-deck tri-axle and the second a drop-deck tri-axle – were quickly proving their worth.

"The single-lever operation is just a smart inclusion that makes our daily operation much faster when it comes to loading and unloading," he says.

"All the driver has to do is get down from the cab, push the lever to 'open' and the curtains are released and ready to slide open in an instant."

Matt Watson, from recently established NSW Freighter dealer MaxiTRANS NSW, says the system has clear benefits.

"The fact that a single lever not only hooks and unhooks the curtains but also provides vertical curtain tension, means the EziLiner is easy and so fast to operate," he says.

"That one-touch operation ensures operators can enter and exit their destination up to 15 minutes faster than a conventional curtain-sider with manual buckles.

"Drivers can also avoid having to open and close buckles and straps one by one, which they tell us can lead to cuts, bruises and repetitive strain injuries."

Brad says the purchase followed a demonstration and brief trial period.

"Matt came to me highlighting the benefits of EziLiner's buckle-less curtains and how much it would boost our operation," he said.

"He outlined the different configurations the system could be built to and even let us use two of their demo trailers just so our drivers could get a feel for how it worked. One week later we were sold."

The curtains on Freighter’s EziLiner use a high-tensile rope, passing through a series of arcs to provide vertical tension to the curtain. The rope is tensioned by a number of air-operated arms, which – after the lever is switched to ‘close’ – reach out from the side of the trailer to clutch the rope, pulling it down and inwards to lock into position.

Brad says his two Freighter EziLiners won't be the last.

"There's no doubt that the EziLiners have made a huge difference to our operation, which is why we are already looking at adding a few more B-doubles to the mix," he says.

"When the time comes I'll contact Matt Watson who has really looked after us well since we started purchasing Freighter equipment. If you want a trailer that maximises efficiency, payload and safety, they're the guys that will make it happen for you."