Do You Need A Terminal Tractor?

By Author: tractor girls
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A Terminal Tractor, sometimes called a Yard Truck, is a specialty vehicle designed for fast, safe and efficient movement of semi-trailers or cargo containers. Terminal Tractors can enable operators to maneuver trailers up to three or four times faster than a traditional truck tractor.
Certainly a Terminal Tractor can help you run your operation faster and more efficiently, but how do you decide if it is worth the cost? To help determine if you really need a Yard Truck, consider these questions:
• Are you moving trailers in a confined or restricted area?
• Are you running a cross dock operation?
• Are you working in a chemical plant or construction site?
• Are you running a freight yard, intermodal ramp, container station, package or truck terminal, or any type of facility where trailers or containers need to be loaded and unloaded quickly?
If your answer to any of these is “Yes,” there’s a good chance that a Terminal Tractor would be an excellent fit for your business. In general, if you have operators using up valuable time cranking up trucks before hooking up, then it’s worth ...
... doing some calculations to determine how much you could increase your efficiency by utilizing a Yard Truck instead.
Another factor to consider is the safety of your operators. While speed and efficiency are certainly important, using a Terminal Tractor can also improve safety, thus lowering your worker’s compensation risk. Since truck operators can maneuver trailers without leaving the cab platform area, they are much less likely to sustain an injury than with a traditional tractor.
The bottom line is, well, your bottom line. Improved safety and efficiency result in reduced costs and ultimately more profit for your business. Whether you rent, lease, or purchase a Terminal Tractor, the resulting savings will likely make your investment worthwhile. If you still have questions, contact us. We can help you figure out if a Terminal Tractor is right for you.