Owner-operator worthy, the combination vehicles of the Leverink hauling company. This type of semi, consisting of a 4×2 cabover tractor with a tri-axle curtainsider, can be seen all over the continent. Yet an outstanding color scheme and livery can clearly make the ordinary extraordinary.
The 19.5 tonnes (42,990 lbs) Scania R500 comes with air suspension on both axles, low profile tires, and a 12.7 liter turbodiesel. ‘Low-ri-der don’t use no gas now, low-ri-der don’t drive too fast’.
The Schmitz Cargobull company from Germany made the high-cube curtainsider. As long as the combination stays in the Netherlands, its gross weight rating is 46.5 tonnes (102,515 lbs). When crossing borders -which it frequently does- that rating drops to a rather modest 40 tonnes (88,185 lbs).
The Terberg truck-mounted forklift completes the picture(s). The trucking company has a whole battalion of them.
Here’s another Swede, teaming up with another German. More specifically, a Volvo FH tractor, towing a Krone curtainsider. The semi is very similar to the Scania and Schmitz Cargobull couple. The Leverink driver carefully observes a UFO, while operating a Terberg Kinglifter.
Naturally, the world of curtainsiders doesn’t stand still. Schmitz Cargobull also offers them with variable height double decks, power curtains (for transporting unpalletized goods, like tires) and speed curtains.
Well, let’s pick up some speed then. By the way, the concept is not really ‘New!’ anymore, as this factory video was posted on YouTube 11 years ago.
Related article, previous generation Scania R500 included, albeit with a V8:
How common are regular 53 foot long “van” trailers over in Europe? You know rigid sides, one door on the back. You NEVER see these curtain side trailers here in the states. Both seem to kinda do the same thing
53′ long, standard semi-trailers don’t exist here, they’re too long. However, double deckers are available, often combined with independent wheel suspension, so no axles between the wheels. See Van Eck semi-trailer below.
‘Van’ trailers -with or without temperature control- are only used to transport perishables (flowers and plants included) and expensive goods, like furniture and motorcycles.
Anything else (especially palletized, of course) goes straight into a curtainsider. And as mentioned in the article, these are also offered with variable height double decks.
Love this Scania, I never hide my love for swedish trucks. I find it quite similar on the front to the DAF XF.
Along with the Volvo FH they are my favorite european trucks (Scania, Volvo and DAF).