Swing-out barn doors or Roll-up garage door?

Which Rear Door Style do you prefer?


  • Total voters
    32

HomeDelivery

Well-Known Member
which rear door style do you prefer?

at least my routes are mostly residential, so the rear door stays shut unless it's a long or big package, a bulk stop, or tires that i roll out of the cargo area...

nevertheless, i like rear barn doors at the back

one, the sliding roll-up door gets in the way of the cargo area & it sucks if you have a bricked-out package car; may cause damage to some parcels that are up to the ceiling.

another is when you're rushing too much & didn't walk behind the package car to confirm that the door is closed/secured

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I've chat w/ most drivers who had the pleasure of driving around in the rental box trucks & they have left it open once in their job...

OK, most people with the Roll-up garage door almost forgets to secure it or completely close it at least once in their career... if you don't admit that, then you haven't been driving a package car long enough:onitswaysmiley:

I walk behind the package car from now on as part of my check to make sure it's secure :smart:
 

LongTimeComing

Air Ops Pro
Why no option for the slide-open doors? Those were my favorite by far. Didn't have to worry about opening before backing to a dock, and didn't take up space like the roll-ups.
 

HomeDelivery

Well-Known Member
i started late in the game & never saw that on-the-road

if it's the "best of both worlds", why they discontinued it?

PS: what "key words" can i use to see these online?
 

Indecisi0n

Well-Known Member
Being a cover it all depends on the route. If there are lots of dock stops roll up, mostly residential then barn doors. Personally if I could choose without a route in mind I would personally like to have barn doors.
 

rod

Retired 22 years
Didn't matter to me. I was able to drive off without closing either one of them at one time or another. That takes talent.
 

Richard Harrow

Deplorable.
Swinging doors. When that stupid keyless entry thing was introduced on our roll-up door trucks I went insane. When my split driving career ended I came onto a route with the swinging doors, the push button start crapped out shortly thereafter and I've happily used the two keys since.
 

soberups

Pees in the brown Koolaid
Barn doors are the only way to go.

Overhead doors are awkward, the cables break, and packages on the top shelf can get crushed and/ or interfere with the door. Plus, if your car gets totally bricked out, you can get to your first stop and be totally unable to even get the door open.

Sliding doors suck for the same reason. Packages can get wedged into the track, plus they are prone to popping open if great care is not taken to make sure they are latched.

The only downside to barn doors is having to stop and open/close them prior to and after leaving a dock. This is a minor inconvenience at most, and well worth the simplicity and hassle-free operation.
 

dilligaf

IN VINO VERITAS
Barn doors are the only way to go.

Overhead doors are awkward, the cables break, and packages on the top shelf can get crushed and/ or interfere with the door. Plus, if your car gets totally bricked out, you can get to your first stop and be totally unable to even get the door open.

Sliding doors suck for the same reason. Packages can get wedged into the track, plus they are prone to popping open if great care is not taken to make sure they are latched.

The only downside to barn doors is having to stop and open/close them prior to and after leaving a dock. This is a minor inconvenience at most, and well worth the simplicity and hassle-free operation.

I have sliders and I have never had them pop open. This truck has been on this rte for several years, rural resi with very rough roads. I, personally have never had the back door pop open. As far as getting jammed up, yes on occasion I have a hard time getting the back door open because a package has slid back against the door. On my truck, the back panels that keep the packages away from the door track are still in place. We have one truck that has sliders and the back panels are not there. That can be a PITA.
 

rod

Retired 22 years
You have never seen the doors that slide open from the middle to either side?

I have to admit I didn't know there was such a thing. I worked out of small center (28 drivers at the max) and we never had an animal like that in our building. Sliding bulkhead doors were a pain enough some days with packages getting wedged against them---I wouldn't want to fight that with same senerio with the back doors too.
 

dilligaf

IN VINO VERITAS
I have to admit I didn't know there was such a thing. I worked out of small center (28 drivers at the max) and we never had an animal like that in our building. Sliding bulkhead doors were a pain enough some days with packages getting wedged against them---I wouldn't want to fight that with same senerio with the back doors too.

Actually the back doors work quite well. There is less room now, out the bulkhead, because of the crap they had to install to get the door to open automatically. I barely (literally) have enough room to get my hand truck out the bulkhead.
 

rod

Retired 22 years
I really didn't care if I worked out of a swinging door or a roll-up door truck. All I cared about was how many more friggin packages were there when I opened the door.
 

dilligaf

IN VINO VERITAS
I really didn't care if I worked out of a swinging door or a roll-up door truck. All I cared about was how many more friggin packages were there when I opened the door.

I thought my truck was full of rabbits yesterday. Everytime I'd get rid of one box 2 more would magically appear. :dissapointed:
 
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