By: J Rowe,
Salt Lake
You must have an APU to use a battery powered leaf blower to clean the trailer regularly, unless you charge it at home. After a while you could weaken batteries If you don’t, but it cleans a trailer in 3 minutes. JUST REMOVE THE MESS AT THE END OF YOUR TRAILER OR WE TRUCKS WILL BE RUN OUT OF THE REST OF OUR TRUCK PARKING. 🙂
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Response from Vicki:
Thank you for sharing. We have no experience in using a leaf blower for cleaning out trailers but we are familiar with how well they work.
While it can certainly be faster and easier for a professional truck driver to use a leaf blower to clean a trailer of small debris and dirt, there are certain things to consider. You have raised two things: power source and waste disposal. Let us consider some others.
First, how often must a professional truck driver clean out his or her trailer? If an absolutely spotless trailer is required for every load, then having a leaf blower can be considered a good investment in order to save time versus sweeping.
Second, contrast the cost of a leaf blower with the cost of a good broom. Wide brooms (the kind that are used in industrial settings) can clean 2, 3 or more times the width of a path than a conventional broom can, but they may not be able to get in corners as well. For occasional sweeping, Mike has only ever used a wide broom with a detachable handle to clean out dry vans and reefers he has hauled. He stored the broom head in the side box and the handle either lying down along the bunk (if there was room) or standing up in the corner behind the passenger seat (if there was nowhere else to put it).
Third, compare types of leaf blowers to get the one that best meets your needs based on cost, size (including storage space in your truck), power source, motor speed, weight, strength of wind generated and length of charge (if battery operated). We do not recommend having a gas-powered machine as the gas is a flammable liquid and the fumes could affect the quality of the air in your truck. Some leaf blowers are rechargeable. Others have no battery or charger.
Compare, for example, the products shown on this post from Amazon.com, with which we have an affiliate relationship:
Fourth, it is a good idea to keep a roll of large plastic trash bags in your truck for collecting trailer debris. The nature of some debris may require you to be near a dumpster. Under no circumstances should a driver ever illegally dump trash on a customer’s facility or in a truck stop parking lot.
Fifth, regardless of how you clean your trailer, it is a good idea to wear a dust mask to avoid breathing in dirt and dust swirling in the air. There are many kinds of dust masks available, ranging from the fairly inexpensive to industrial grade.
Here’s one kind:
Sixth, it is easier to see what you’re doing in the back of a trailer during daylight hours. If you are forced to clean a trailer in the dark, look for a secure location where you can park under a light that can shine in or use a heavy-duty flashlight to shine down the length of your trailer.
Seventh, we recommend that you be sensitive to the amount of noise you create when cleaning out your trailer with a leaf blower. Drivers who are parked near you could be awakened from sleep if you use a leaf blower in your trailer in the wee hours of the morning.
Eighth, when you prepare to use a leaf blower to clean a trailer, put it inside the trailer before climbing up. Never attempt to climb up and into a trailer with equipment in one hand. Maintain three points of contact at all times.
Thanks again for sharing.
We wish you safe travels and lots of money saving opportunities on the road.
Best regards,
Vicki Simons
