A terminal tractor, known in the United States as a shunt truck, spotter truck, spotting tractor, yard truck, yard dog, yard goat, yard jockey or mule, is a semi-tractor intended to move semi trailers within a cargo yard, warehouse facility, or intermodal facility, much like a switcher locomotive is used to position railcars.
Distinctions between a terminal tractor and a regular road truck are several and noticeable:
- A single-person cab offset to the side of the engine.
- A full-height, sliding rear door for easy access to trailer connections.
- A very short wheelbase, usually with a solidly mounted rear axle.
- A low-power diesel or alternative fuel engine, usually with an automatic transmission.
- A fifth-wheel coupling with an integrated lifting mechanism allows the semi-trailer's legs to remain in the lowered position during movement. 15 inches (380 mm) and 70,000 lb (32,000 kg) of hydraulic lift is typical.
- 12-gauge steel side wall cab construction with 1/2-inch (13 mm) steel floors for protection in abusive and dangerous work environments.
- 360-degree view to facilitate five to six moves an hour.
Since off-road versions do not have to drive on roads at highway speeds, a typical top speed is just 25 miles per hour (40 km/h). It is rare for these vehicles to be on highways, so it was very unusual when a pedestrian was accidentally struck and dragged by a yard truck at an intersection in Bellevue, Washington, in February 2014.
Autocar, Capacity Truck, Hoist Liftruck, Tico, and Kalmar Ottawa terminal tractors are manufactured in North America. Orange EV manufactures pure-electric terminal tractors in Missouri. One of many European manufacturers is Dutch company Terberg who now has distribution in Florida.
Video Terminal tractor
References
Maps Terminal tractor
See also
- Sisu Terminal Systems
External links
- Autocar Trucks--Official website
Source of article : Wikipedia
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