Australia uses several types of freight trailers to move palletised, bulky and long freight. This guide explains Single Trailers, Mezzanine Floor Trailers, B Doubles, B Double Mezzanine configurations, Open Deck trailers and more, including pallet capacity and freight suitability.
Home Freight Blog Australian Freight Trailer Types Explained: Single, Mezzanine, B Double, Open Deck and More
Freight trailers differ in length, internal height, load rating and design. Selecting the correct trailer type is critical for safety, legal compliance, pallet capacity planning and freight cost control.
Certain freight types perform best on specific trailers. Lightweight palletised freight benefits from mezzanine floors, while long or oversized freight requires open deck or extendable trailers.
Understanding trailer types helps businesses avoid reweigh charges, loading refusals and inefficient freight utilisation.
A Single Trailer, commonly called a standard semi trailer, is the most widely used linehaul trailer in Australia. It is suitable for palletised freight, cartons, machinery and mixed commercial loads.
A Single Mezzanine Trailer includes an internal second deck that allows freight to be carried on two levels without stacking pallets directly on top of each other.
This configuration significantly increases pallet capacity while protecting fragile or crush-sensitive freight.
A mezzanine floor is a height-adjustable internal deck built into certain trailers. It allows two levels of pallets to be transported safely.
Unlike double stacking, mezzanine floors prevent crushing and are commonly used in express, retail and supermarket freight networks.
A B Double consists of two trailers connected by a turntable. B Doubles are widely used for interstate linehaul due to their stability and higher pallet capacity.
They are a backbone of freight movement between Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and Adelaide.
Some B Double configurations include mezzanine decks in one or both trailers. These setups are designed for very high pallet volumes while maintaining freight separation.
They are commonly used in national retail, FMCG and express networks.
Open Deck trailers are used for freight that cannot be transported inside enclosed trailers due to height, length or shape.
They are common in construction, industrial and mining freight.
Flatbeds have no roof or side walls, making them ideal for crane-loaded or irregular freight.
Drop Deck trailers feature a lowered main deck, allowing taller freight to be carried within legal height limits.
Extendable trailers are designed for extremely long freight that exceeds standard trailer lengths.
Curtainsiders feature sliding side curtains, allowing fast forklift loading without requiring cranes.
They are the most common trailer type for pallet freight.
QFM selects trailer types based on freight dimensions, pallet count, weight distribution and delivery environment.
Correct trailer allocation reduces damage risk, prevents loading refusals and improves delivery performance.
QFM provides access to all major trailer configurations through a nationwide multi-carrier network.
This ensures the right trailer is available regardless of freight type or destination.
QFM reviews your pallet count, freight dimensions, weight and delivery requirements to recommend the correct trailer configuration.
From standard pallet freight to oversized construction loads, QFM ensures the right equipment is used every time.
If your business needs access to multiple trailer types across Australia, QFM can build a tailored multi-carrier solution to support your freight operations nationwide.