Thinking of moving your car during the summer? For freight drivers shipping cars interstate during the summer, long haul drives can be dangerous journeys. Read on to find out how car shipping carriers deal with the harsh Australian summer when shipping cars interstate.
You've heard of the trucker's tan, the truckers cap and the truckers gut. Well these are not entirely empty cliches; they exist for a reason. Driving long hours in the hot Australian sun is demanding of a hat, begetting of a tan and conducive to weight gain. In fact, to avoid the fatigue that comes with driving long hours in the scorching summer heat, Australian transport standards require truck drivers to take a 30 minute rest break for every 5 hours of driving. They are also required to stop for 10 hours of sleep for every 14 hours of work.
As well as managing driver fatigue, freight drivers need to think about the weight of the vehicles loaded on the back and its affect on handling and on the tyres, which are already stressed by the heat. Some driver handbooks advise drivers to regularly stop their trucks and check the heat of the tyres. If the tyres are too hot to touch, the freight truck needs to remain immobile until the tyres cool down.
Due to the long hours of heat exposure, drivers regularly check the air pressure of the tyres during these long trips. Too high and the added pressure of the rubber expanding in the heat could cause the tyres to lose traction on the road and affect the level of control the driver has. Too low and more of the surface area of the tyre will touch the ground, causing friction, which wears down and overheats the tyre.
Freight carrier vehicles have inbuilt engine cooling systems equipped to deal with long haul drives. In combination with close monitoring of air pressure and regular top ups of oil, water, coolants and other fluids, freight carriers are able to safely cross long distances - even across the Nullarbor.
At Automove, we select the most professional carriers to make journeys as long as shipping cars interstate and as short as relocating to the next town or suburb. Get in touch with our friendly customer service team on 1300 50 60 30 to find out how we can help with your next interstate move, or use our Online Price List generator to find a cheap car transport quote to suit your requirements.