Introduction to Yard Trucks
Yard trucks aren’t the most well-known pieces of loading equipment on the market, but their usefulness has been proven time and time again. If you’re interested in learning more about yard trucks and why you might want one for your business, this guide from Fyda Freightliner can tell you everything you need to know.
What is a Yard Truck?
Part of the reason why these trucks aren’t better known despite their ubiquity is that they are known by a dozen different names, including yard trucks, yard tractors, terminal tractors, yard jockeys, and mules. Another reason is that they’re mostly used behind the scenes in places like warehouses, loading docks, and freight yards. If you’ve ever wondered how semi-trailers are moved around within a facility, yard trucks are the answer.
While yard trucks are technically a kind of semi-truck, they’re very different from the kind of semi-truck you see on the road, mostly because they’re designed to transport cargo over a much shorter distance. A yard truck cab is smaller than a big rig’s cab, with larger windows to provide almost 360° visibility and a sliding rear cargo door for easy cargo access. Overall, yard trucks are designed for maneuverability rather than long-distance hauls, which is why they have very short wheelbases and relatively low-power engines.
Should You Buy a Yard Truck?
Yard trucks are the closest thing you can get to a precision tool when you’re talking about moving semi-trailers around. While poorly suited to long-term hauls, these vehicles are great for situations that require a bit more finesse. If you’re the kind of company that focuses exclusively on transporting semi-trailers from one warehouse or loading dock to another, a yard truck is essentially an underpowered and underequipped semi-truck. However, if you’re the kind of company running one of those freight yards or warehouses, a yard truck is an invaluable tool that offers a great deal more maneuverability than your standard rig. It all comes back to what kind of truck you need.
Shop yard truck models at Fyda Freightliner. We operate seven locations, including one in Kentucky, four in Ohio, and three in Pennsylvania. We also offer parts, servicing, dyno, body shop services, and detail shop services.