Cargo Securement Tips for Commercial Truck Drivers
While the types of loads may differ, one thing is constant: your cargo must stay secure within the rental truck at all times. Even the slightest shift can lead to damaged products, delayed deliveries and avoidable accidents.
How to secure cargo in a commercial rental truck
Here’s what every commercial truck driver should know about proper cargo securement.
Why Is Cargo Securement Important in Commercial Rental Trucks?
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) cargo securement rules require motor carriers operating on interstates to secure cargo in a manner that prevents it from becoming loose, unfastened, opened or released while the vehicle is in transit.
Yet cargo securement is far more than a compliance issue. When freight isn’t loaded and secured properly, it creates multiple risks for businesses, regardless of the size of their trucks or the routes they travel, including:
Legal risks
All 50 states and Washington, D.C. have cargo securement laws. Violations carry penalties with fines up to $5,000.
Operational risks
When products arrive damaged due to cargo shifts, it can harm a business’ reputation. It can also lead to liability claims and higher insurance premiums.
Safety risks
About 850 people are killed and almost 19,000 more are injured nationwide each year in crashes involving objects that fall from vehicles. And when cargo shifts, even if it’s in an enclosed box truck or trailer, it can make a truck harder to steer and stop, raising the risk for accidents.
Proper cargo securement helps mitigate all these risks. And it all begins with loading your freight into a truck the right way.
How To Load Cargo in a Rental Truck Safely
How you load your truck is just as important as how you secure your freight. Penske makes loading easy. Our 12 foot and 16 foot box trucks include a rear roll-up door and pull-out ramp, so you can walk lighter items onto the truck by hand or with a cart. Larger commercial rental trucks, including 16 and 18 foot cabovers, 22 to 26 foot box trucks, refrigerated trucks and flatbed trucks all come standard with power liftgates.
Follow these steps to load cargo securely.
Sweep the cargo bed
Remove any debris from the truck floor so freight can lie as flat as possible.
Place heavier items on the bottom
Lighter items can go on top safely, without crushing the freight underneath.
Use the 60/40 rule
Aim to put 60% of the weight toward the front of the cargo area and 40% toward the back. This will move the center of gravity forward in your truck, making it easier to steer and stop the vehicle.
Fill gaps
Do not leave space between items. Use dunnage (loose material like wood blocks or inflatable bags) to fill empty spaces and cushion the load.
Use the Right Equipment To Secure Your Freight
Tie-downs, ratchet straps, chains, binders, cargo nets, load bars, and shoring beams can be effective in preventing cargo from shifting in transit.
FMCSA regulations determine how many tie-downs are needed per item.
- Items 5 feet or shorter that weigh less than 1,100 pounds require one tie-down.
- Items 5 feet or shorter that weigh more than 1,100 pounds require two tie-downs.
- Items between 5 feet and 10 feet require two tie-downs, regardless of their weight.
- For items 10 feet or longer, add one extra tie-down for every additional 10 feet.
Straps and tie-downs should be tight enough that they snap back like a rubber band. Use edge protectors to prevent straps from damaging cargo.
When securing circular items like drums and cylinders, use chocks and wedges to prevent rolling during transit. For added security, fasten load straps in a V-shaped pattern on either side of the drum.
What Cargo Securement Tools Come Standard on Penske Rental Trucks?
Penske rental trucks come equipped with multiple cargo securement devices tailored to the type of freight most commonly hauled in those trucks.
All box trucks and cabover truck rentals include cargo tie rails. These beams are mounted horizontally on the interior sidewalls and serve as ideal anchor points for ropes or load straps.
Cabover trucks, 22 to 26 foot box trucks and refrigerated trucks all come equipped with E-track devices. They’re steel rails with multiple slots, allowing you to install E-track bars (also called shoring beams) at various points throughout the cargo bay. E-track bars are heavy-duty bars with a quick-release mechanism. Simply slide the ends of the E-track bar into the slots on the rail, and you can keep cargo from sliding backward or forward.
Dry van trailers include either E-track bars or logistics posts, which are built-in vertical support beams.
Flatbed truck rentals are equipped with cargo securement straps and side and rear stake racks to keep loads stable throughout the journey.
For commercial rental trucks without built-in cargo securement features, load bars are ideal options. They’re adjustable metal poles that press against the interior trailer walls to keep freight in place.
Extra Cargo Securement Precautions
Four other tips to remember when securing your company’s loads for transport.
1. Inspect all tie-downs before you use them
Look for frayed straps, bent hooks and open links or cracks in chains. Do not use any tie-downs that are worn and torn and always carry extras in your rental truck.
2. Do a final check before you go
Look for loose straps, shifting pallets or signs of uneven weight distribution, and correct any potential trouble spots.
3. Know your Working Load Limit (WLL)
Your WLL must be at least 50% of the cargo’s total weight. So, when hauling a 20,000-pound load, all straps, binders, and chains must be rated to support a combined 10,000 pounds based on the manufacturer’s specifications. The WLL is often listed on the bill of lading.
4. Inspect cargo over the road
On long hauls, check your cargo within the first 50 miles, then again, every 3 hours or 150 miles, or at any change of duty status. Make sure nothing has shifted or moved and tighten any loose tie-downs.
Reduce Your Risks With Penske Commercial Trucks
In addition to built-in cargo securement features, Penske Truck Rental offers one of the youngest and best-maintained fleets in the industry, so your drivers can stay on the road with fewer worries. Ready to begin? Browse our lineup of commercial rental trucks today.
Common Questions
Do Penske Rental Trucks come equipped with cargo securement features?
Yes. Penske light-duty box trucks come equipped with cargo tie rails, while cabover trucks and medium-duty trucks include both cargo tie rails and E-track rails. All refrigerated trucks come with E-track rails as standard equipment. Dry van trailers offer E-track rails or logistics posts. And cargo securement straps are included in flatbed truck rentals from Penske.
What’s the difference between a load bar and an E-track bar?
A load bar is an adjustable tension bar, made of metal, that braces against the truck walls to hold cargo in place. An E-track bar attaches directly to the slots on E-track rails installed inside the truck, allowing freight to be secured at multiple points throughout the cargo area. Both devices are used to prevent loads from shifting forward or backward in transit.
How often should cargo be inspected during a trip?
FMCSA regulations require interstate drivers to check their cargo within the first 50 miles of a trip and recheck it every three hours, every 150 miles, or whenever there is a change in duty status. Inspect tie-downs and reposition or tighten them as needed.
