Soft Sided Enclosed Trailer
If you’re familiar with how car shipping works, then you’re probably familiar with open vs enclosed. These are the two most used car shipping methods. Open transport is the most popular and most affordable option while enclosed offers protection for your vehicle while in transit.
But did you know that within the enclosed option there’s also a hard-side vs soft-side trailer? Although they both protect your vehicle from weather and road conditions, they are designed slightly different for different purposes.
What Is a Soft-Sided Enclosed Trailer?
A soft-sided enclosed trailer is a double-decked car carrier built with heavy-duty curtain-style canvas panels instead of solid aluminum or fiberglass walls. The flexible sides provide a few extra inches of clearance for vehicles that won’t fit inside a hard-sided carrier. While the curtain walls aren’t as rigid as solid panels, they still provide protection against weather, road debris and other conditions during transit.
Soft-Side vs. Hard-Side
The biggest difference between soft-sided and hard-sided enclosed trailers is the interior clearance.
- Hard-Sided Enclosed: About 82 inches wide and 6’11” high
- Soft-Sided Enclosed: About 86 inches wide and 7’2” high
It may not sound like much, but those extra few inches make a big difference if you happen to be shipping an oversized SUV, lifted truck, or customized vehicle.
Another difference between soft-sided and hard-sided trailers is the amount of vehicles it can handle.
- Hard-Sided Enclosed: Handles 3-5 vehicles
- Soft-Sided Enclosed: Handle 5-8 vehicles
That added capacity is a major benefit for dealerships or auction houses that need to move multiple vehicles enclosed in a single trip.
When to Choose a Soft-Sided Enclosed Trailer
As previously mentioned, soft-side enclosed trailers are ideal when shipping large vehicles that are taller or wider, but still need the protection of auto transport. They’re especially useful for:
- Oversized SUVs like Hummers, Escalades, or G-Wagons
- Trucks with lifted suspensions, dual rear wheels (duallies), or extra-wide tires
- Sprinter Vans that sit taller than typical vehicle heights
- Antique or custom vehicles with unusual dimensions
While hard-sided carriers remain the industry standard for enclosed auto transport, soft-sided trailers provide an alternative for vehicles that need a little extra space. They deliver the enclosed protection you want, with the flexibility your vehicle needs.
Streaming Logistics takes pride in offering secure, enclosed car shipping no matter the size of your vehicle. Call us today at (813) 841-8908 to get a free enclosed transport quote.