The most common types of universal vehicle bodies include:

• Tarpaulin and curtain-sided bodies – with flexible sides enabling quick loading from any side, ideal for transporting palletized goods and industrial materials,
• Dropsides – open or with sideboards, used for applications such as: in the transport of construction materials, equipment, and oversized loads,
• Closed box vehicles – used particularly in retail distribution, e-commerce, and the transport of pharmaceuticals and household appliances,
• Platforms – for transporting containers, machinery, and steel structures,
• Swap-bed systems (BDF) – particularly popular in contract logistics and intermodal transport, providing high handling flexibility,
• Other universal bodies – e.g., tippers, containers, moving floor trailers, and vehicles adapted for the transport of ADR materials.

These vehicles are based on chassis and tractor units from brands such as MAN, Mercedes-Benz, DAF, Scania, Volvo, Iveco, and Renault, while bodies and trailers are supplied by companies such as Krone, Schmitz Cargobull, Wielton, Kögel, Lamberet, Zasław, Schwarzmüller, Feber, and Kässbohrer.

 Why is it worth analysing the universal vehicle segment?

 This segment best reflects the condition of the transportation market as a whole. Analysing registration and sales data for multi-purpose vehicles allows us to:

• track trends in the TSL and distribution industries,
• identify the most frequently chosen configurations and brands,
• assess demand in specific customer groups (international, local, courier, and commercial transport),
• support purchasing and leasing decisions,
• plan fleet development to adapt to the changing market.

This data is invaluable for manufacturers and dealers, as well as for freight forwarding companies, fleet operators, and logistics companies seeking cost optimization.

Wondering which curtain-sided, box or platform vehicles are currently chosen by transport and distribution companies?