The Ultimate Guide to Truck Types: From City Delivery to Heavy Hauling

The Ultimate Guide to Truck Types: From City Delivery to Heavy Hauling

Short answer: for most freight in Europe, you'll be looking at a 13.6 m semi-trailer. Curtainsider or box trailer for pallets, flatbed for machinery and building materials, reefer if your cargo needs to stay cold. Smaller loads go by van or rigid truck, and liquids and loose bulk go by tanker or tipper.

Not sure which one fits your shipment? Start with the quick pick below, then jump to the truck type you need.

Quick Pick: Which Truck for Which Cargo?

• Parcels, 1-5 pallets, urgent: Van (up to 3.5 t)
• City and regional distribution: Rigid / box truck (7.5-18 t)
• Palletised goods, full load: Curtainsider (tautliner)
• Secure, weather-sensitive goods: Box (dry) trailer
• Light but bulky goods: Mega trailer
• Machinery, steel, timber: Flatbed
• Food, pharma, temperature-sensitive cargo: Reefer
• Liquids, gases, powders: Tanker
• Sand, gravel, aggregates: Tipper (dump truck)

Capacities are approximate and vary by vehicle and country.

Light and Medium Trucks: City and Regional Delivery

• Van (up to 3.5 t): Fast, flexible and perfect for small or urgent shipments and tight city streets. Carries roughly 1-1.5 t, up to about 5 europallets. Best for: parcels, spare parts, small pallet loads.
• Rigid (box) truck, 7.5-18 t: Cab and cargo body on one chassis, with an optional tail-lift so you can load without a dock. Fits roughly 10-20 europallets. Best for: retail replenishment, furniture, appliances, regional distribution.

Heavy-Duty Trucks: Long-Haul and Bulk

• Curtainsider (tautliner): A 13.6 m semi-trailer with sliding side curtains, so it loads from the side, rear or top. It's the most common trailer in European road freight. Takes 33 europallets and about 24-25 t. Best for: palletised goods, building materials, mixed cargo.
• Box (dry) trailer: Enclosed, lockable 13.6 m trailer with the same capacity as a curtainsider, but with rigid walls. Best for: electronics, packaged food, high-value or weather-sensitive goods.
• Mega trailer: Same length, taller body (about 100 m³). Best for: voluminous, lightweight goods like packaging, textiles or appliances.
• Flatbed: Open platform with no sides or roof, loaded by crane or forklift from any angle. Cargo must be properly secured. Best for: machinery, steel, pipes, timber, oversized items.

Specialised Trucks

• Reefer (refrigerated trailer): Built-in cooling holds a set temperature, typically from about -25 °C to +25 °C. Foodstuffs carried internationally fall under the ATP Agreement. Best for: fresh and frozen food, pharmaceuticals, flowers.
• Tanker: Cylindrical tank with internal baffles to limit liquid surge. Dangerous goods need ADR-compliant vehicles and certified drivers (see UNECE ADR). Best for: fuel, milk, chemicals, gases, cement and other powders.
• Tipper (dump truck): Open-top body that lifts hydraulically to unload. Best for: sand, gravel, asphalt, demolition waste.

How to Choose the Right Truck: 4 Quick Checks

• Weight and size: Check pallet count, weight and dimensions. In the EU, an articulated truck is generally limited to 40 t gross, 16.5 m length, 2.55 m width and 4 m height under Directive 96/53/EC. Anything bigger needs a special permit.
• Temperature: Anything other than ambient? Book a reefer.
• Loading access: Dock-height ramp: box trailer or rigid truck. Crane or side access: curtainsider or flatbed.
• Distance: Vans and rigid trucks for city and regional routes, semi-trailers for international long-haul. Compare lanes on our routes page.

FAQ

• What is the most common truck type in Europe? The 13.6 m curtainsider semi-trailer. It carries 33 europallets and loads from the side, rear or top.
• How many pallets fit in a standard truck? A standard 13.6 m trailer takes 33 europallets (120 × 80 cm) or about 26 industrial pallets (120 × 100 cm).
• What's the difference between a curtainsider and a box trailer? A curtainsider has sliding fabric sides for easy side loading. A box trailer has rigid walls and a lockable body, so it's more secure and weatherproof.
• When should I use a flatbed instead of a curtainsider? When your cargo is too tall, wide or heavy for a closed trailer, or when it has to be lifted on by crane.