A terminal tractor, known in the United States as a spotter truck, spotting tractor, yard truck, 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 alternate fuel engine, usually with an automatic transmission.
- A fifth wheel with an integrated lifting mechanism designed to allow the semi-trailers legs to remain in the down position during movement. 15 inches (380Â mm) and 70,000Â lb (32,000Â kg) of hydraulic lift are typical.
- 12-gauge steel side wall Cab construction with 1â„2-inch (13Â mm) steel floors for protection in abusive & dangerous work environments.
- 360 Degree View to facilitate five to six moves an hour.
Since off-road versions don't have to drive on roads at highway speeds, a typical top speed is just 25 miles per hour (40Â km/h). It is rare for these vehicles to be on public roads, 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, Tico, and Kalmar 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.
References
See also
- Sisu Terminal Systems
