The ideal trailer setup: How to organize your equipment efficiently

Posted on:May 22, 2023

While your landscape business truck may get all the attention for its horsepower and beefy appearance, your attached trailer is doing all the real work, hauling your equipment from the shop to jobs and back each day. 

Landscape contractors have quite a few options when it comes to choosing a trailer that best fits their needs. Then they must organize that trailer for maximum efficiency while repeatedly accessing and storing their equipment. 

Since landscapers make quite a few stops every day while loading and unloading equipment, buying and designing a trailer with durability in mind is important. You want your trailer to be dependable so that you are not constantly working on the trailer instead of on the lawn business that brings in your income.

Let’s talk about trailer options and organizational tips for getting the best setup for your business and reaping the benefits of saved time and increased profits. 

Open vs. Closed

Both open vs. closed trailers offer great ways to transport your equipment. The one you select will depend on your preference, the job type, and the equipment you move.

Maintenance crews tend to use open trailers for mower storage and transport. Open trailers can haul equipment that can’t fit in enclosed trailers. This can be easier for contractors who feel that the walls and roof of an enclosed trailer would be less efficient or spacious for their needs.  

When seeking an open trailer, you’re looking for easy loading and unloading capabilities with a durable tailgate and a heavy-duty frame that can withstand wear and tear.

But you must also consider rust and weather damage when you use an open trailer, depending on your location. 

Enclosed trailers can be locked and stored at job sites when needed to help prevent theft, and they eliminate weather- or rust-damage worries. 

Enclosed trailers are like garages on wheels. Adding racks for smaller tools and power equipment like string trimmers, as well as tie-down capabilities, can keep equipment from moving while in transit and improve organization. 

Before purchasing a trailer, it’s best to know how you intend to use it and what equipment and weight you’ll regularly carry. Weight, towing capacity, and length are the three most important factors landscape business owners must consider before purchasing any trailer. You also have to consider the type of truck you drive for your business. A lightweight pickup truck, for instance, may not be able to haul a 10,000-pound trailer. 

Grasshopper customer, Craig Stevenson, runs ProMow Lawn Service in Somerset, Kentucky, and prefers enclosed trailers for his equipment because they keep machines clean and safe from theft. He started out using open trailers, but after one full year of experiencing what the sun and weather can do to equipment daily, he made the switch. 

He uses Grasshopper’s MidMount 325D mowers. Multiple tie-down locations help them stay secure in the trailer when traveling longer distances between stops. 

Stevenson transports two mowers, four trimmers, two blowers, chainsaws, hedge trimmers, fuel, and other tools in his enclosed trailers. 

He uses his open trailer for leaf season with a Grasshopper MidMount™ PowerVac™ Collection System, as well as when he does dethatching in autumn with the Grasshopper Dethatcher. 

“Both trailers have their advantages, but I personally rather have my enclosed trailer while mowing,” Stevenson says. “I know it’s safe, and I have anything and everything I would need inside for any job.”  

Keep It Clean

You already take the time to maintain your equipment (like your mowers) to ensure they perform optimally on the landscapes on your route, but how much care do you put into how your machines get to each job? 

Maintaining a clean and organized trailer can be a major asset for landscaping crews.

After all, trailers are one of the least expensive pieces of equipment in the budget, and they can last a long time if well maintained.

First task: Keep your trailer clean. Dirt, dust, grime, and road salt can damage your trailer's paint and undercarriage. 

Next, many landscape professionals employ an in-house mechanic to maintain their trailers. Regular tasks include fixing lights, greasing wheel bearings, replacing brakes, and checking tires. Having crews check trailers weekly for general issues like smashed lights and low tires can help you avoid any issues. Intensive repair needs can be handled by local dealers. 

Organization Is Key

Streamlining your equipment to ensure each truck and trailer has the same setup can ensure easier access, saving crews time on jobs. 

For instance, having five to seven shovels in each trailer can make it complicated and time-consuming to find the one you need quickly. Assessing what you need on each job and paring that down to two or three necessary shovels can ensure your trailer is more organized and easily reach for the tool you need when you need it. 

Standardizing what your trailer needs and where it should be located in your trailer enables employees to quickly grab tools––no matter which trailer they are using that day. Storage racks, shelving systems, cabinets, bins, and pegs can keep clutter at bay. 

Going one step further and color-coding trucks and trailers ensures the right equipment returns to the right truck each day. 

Taking photos of the ideal setup enables you to return to your standardized setup each time and instruct employees to follow your plan. Then conducting spot inspections monthly can ensure equipment remains in the right place. 

Put Someone In Charge Of Organization

Some landscape professionals make trailer organization a responsibility of a company employee, guaranteeing it continues to work for them. 

For instance, foremen can ensure equipment is loaded on trucks and ready for the next day’s jobs. If extra equipment is needed, the foreman can check it out from the shop. 

Tagging tools and equipment that break and marking them for replacement until repairs are made can also keep downtime to a minimum.

Is Your Trailer Optimized For Maximum Efficiency?

Use some of these tips to amplify the effectiveness of your trailer setup. In addition to this advice, check out how other landscape professionals organize their trailers to give you more ideas to refine your strategy. 

Remember, your trailer also extends your business image and brand. A well-placed logo, contact number, and website, as well as having a clean and neat appearance, can go a long way in showing current and potential customers how you do business. 

And if you’re looking for mowers that are easy to tie down in trailers and ensure smooth on and off-trailer capabilities, check out the equipment Grasshopper has to offer. Give one of our local dealers a call to find the best machines for your business.