Roll Off Truck Tarps - The Requirement to Cover and Your 3 Choices

Not every state in the U.S. has a mandatory1. Fully Automatic Tarp System
truck tarp law for hauling product such as asphalt,2. Semi-Automatic Tarp System
sand and aggregate, but every state does have3. Manual Hand Tarp
littering laws which requires haulers of refuse toThe Fully Automatic System is an electric or
cover their loads in order to prevent garbagehydraulic operated system in which the operator
from littering the roadways. Also, upon enteringcontrols buttons or levers to cover and uncover
landfills throughout the country, signs are normallythe load from the ground.
posted that require all loads to be covered with aA Semi-Automatic System is a tower that raises
tarp upon entering and exiting the landfill.high above the load between the cab and the
There are also requirements at many landfills andcontainer, and a rope is pulled by the operator
transfer stations for drivers of vehicles to staystanding in back of the vehicle to pull the tarp
on the ground and often remain in their vehiclesover the load. The rope is tied off to the back of
when dumping their loads. Operators arethe container to secure the tarp. To uncover, the
therefore restricted from climbing on theiroperator reverses the process and the tarp is
vehicles to tarp and untarp their loads. In theseretracted like a window shade.
cases, an automated truck tarping system isA Manual Hand Tarp is simply a rectangular tarp
required on the vehicle to cover and uncover thethat is thrown over the load by the operator and
load from ground level or from inside the cab ofsecured manually with rubber straps to hooks
the vehicle.around the container.
The purpose of this article is to identify the needThese three categories of Truck Covers satisfy
to tarp refuse loads and the three categories ofthe requirements of the law to contain a refuse
roll off tarping systems to choose from:load and prevent garbage from littering the
roadways, as well as any state tarp law.