Heavy transport with Standard 13.6 m

Standard tautliner transport is the most common heavy freight solution across European road logistics. MAKO TSL operates standard 13.6m tautliner semi-trailers across the BENELUX region, providing direct transport, express deliveries, and scheduled freight services for businesses in Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg. Standard tautliner trailers offer full side and rear access, carry palletised cargo and loose freight, and are suited to the majority of road freight requirements handled by transport companies and freight forwarders in the region.

Standard 13.6m Tautliner: Vehicle Specifications

The standard tautliner trailer is 13.6 metres in length, providing a loading floor suited to 33 standard EUR pallets. The internal height typically reaches 2.7 metres, sufficient for single-stack pallets and standard-height industrial goods. Tautliner trailers are fitted with curtain sides that slide open along roof rails and rear doors that swing out to allow full rear access.

Maximum payload capacity on a standard tautliner is approximately 24 tonnes, depending on the truck configuration and axle arrangement. Tautliner trucks in the MAKO TSL fleet comply with European road weight regulations and are maintained to applicable transport standards in Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg.

Standard tautliner trailers are equipped with basic load restraint systems, including strapping and banding points along the trailer floor and sides. These systems secure cargo against movement during transport, regardless of route duration or conditions.

Standard Tautliner vs Mega Tautliner

The standard tautliner and the mega tautliner share the same 13.6-metre floor length but differ in internal height. A standard tautliner trailer provides approximately 2.7 metres of internal height. A mega tautliner provides additional height clearance of around 3 metres, allowing taller cargo to be transported without modification.

For businesses transporting standard palletised freight, the standard tautliner is the appropriate vehicle. For shipments involving tall machinery, stacked goods, or cargo that exceeds standard tautliner height limits, the mega tautliner is the alternative option available in the MAKO TSL fleet.

Both standard and mega tautliner services operate on the same BENELUX routes and are available through the same MAKO TSL regional contact.

Loading and unloading Standard Tautliner Trailers

Standard tautliner trailers support loading and unloading from the sides and the rear. Curtain sides are opened by sliding the canvas along the overhead rail system, giving forklift operators full access along the length of the trailer. This loading method is used at distribution hubs and manufacturing sites where forklift access from the sides is faster than rear loading.

Rear door access is used for deliveries where only part of the load is being removed. Rear loading is also the preferred method when delivery points have standard loading docks designed to receive trucks from the rear. Standard tautliner trucks are compatible with most fixed loading dock heights in Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg.

For partial load shipments, standard tautliner trailers can be loaded with groupage cargo alongside other consignments, reducing transport costs per unit for smaller freight volumes.