ForConstructionPros.com

Transporting paving equipment has become a specialized industry for a lot of trailer manufacturers. In fact, many companies now offer models designed exclusively for hauling paving equipment.

"The days of building a trailer in the backyard are gone," says John DeGeorge, national sales manager, Eager Beaver Trailers. "Today, trailers are very high tech with air ride suspension, automatic ride height adjustment and ABS brakes."

One of the most identifiable characteristics of a paving trailer is its low load angle, which is often necessary for loading paving equipment due to low clearances and overhangs.

"A lot of paving equipment requires a low approach angle," says Rick Bodnar, sales manager, Load King Trailers. "Obstructions on the front of the machines prevent climbing at steep angles."

To accommodate those obstructions, paving trailers typically have less than a 12° loading angle, compared to about 18° to 22° for a more traditional, general-purpose trailer. Some trailers currently on the market have ramps with load angles as low as 8° and 9°.