By contrast, a 24-ton load of lumber is dispersed over the entire 48 feet of the trailer, putting less stress on any one point than a coil does. A good driver lays his chains across the trailer before the coils are set down. It generally takes 30-45 minutes to secure a load of steel, Reid says. Regulations don't stipulate the number of chains or straps needed, but there are minimum standards. Drivers generally fasten the steel with chains and use straps to hold down the tarp covering the steel.
Customers often are the ones to decide if a tarp covers the load.
Customers also decide if the eye of a coil faces the front and back of the trailer or the sides. This depends on their unloading methods. Drivers prefer the eyes facing the front and back because an unsecured coil will roll off the trailer's side instead of forward into the driver's compartment.