It's an insurance thing.

Had this explained to me several years ago ans it's been slowly 
spreading through the trucking industry.    In the minds of the 
insurance providers, moving barrels with a two wheel cart is not as safe 
as moving barrels on a pallet.  If the operator of the wheeler is not 
"careful": the whole thing can come over backwards, fall off, fall 
forward and puncher on the barrel in front, fall forward and catch a 
hand of the inexperienced operator on the barrel in front and any number 
of other things that can happen when someone is using "poor" equipment 
or not paying attention to what they're doing (and God knows their seems 
to be more of those in any business). Apparently in some jurisdictions 
Worker's Compensation will only allow the use of wheeler carts with the 
extra casters behind, if at all.

Barrels loaded singly do not always get properly secured and slide 
around; more damage (Insurance Claims) to themselves or other freight 
near to them.  It's somehow assumed that if they're on a pallet the 
trucker will know how to run that without popping his back.  It is also 
assumed that the barrel will have been secured to the pallet.

Fortunately, if you can load and secure the shipment yourself, most 
companies will take it. Unfortunately the  latter sometimes requires 
more show than reality (ie. these straps aren't really going to hold 
squat if you run this thing through the ditch, but if it makes you happy)

Dave Tharle
Ardmore, AB

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