No matter your industry, time is money! To save both, it’s imperative to find innovative ways to bolster productivity. Either way, your journey to improving productivity and yard efficiency starts with using the right tool for the job.
When moving tractors, trailers, and containers within intermodal facilities, warehouses, and cargo yards, the yard truck is tailor-made to help you do more with less effort. Also known as the terminal tractor, yard jockey, or spotter truck, It’s simply the right tool for the job.
Still, many facility managers and owners are reluctant to use yard trucks due to the perceived upfront costs. However, when you do, the productivity and efficiency gains will net you a positive ROI over a short period.
Let’s take a closer look at how yard trucks increase productivity and yard efficiency.
The Yard Truck Is Built Specifically for the Task At Hand
The spotter truck is designed to accommodate the needs of your facility. Some of its helpful features include the following:
- A fifth wheel that allows drivers to back up easily
- A lever to lower or raise the trailer
- A sliding rear door that allows drivers to step out quickly to uncouple or couple the electric and air lines
- A shorter wheelbase and power steering to facilitate sharper turns and much faster movement when compared to a semi-truck
Do More—3X to 4X More—in the Same Amount of Time
A yard spotter truck boasts the ability to improve productivity and efficiency. In fact, most operators can move three to four trailers with a yard spotter in the same time a standard tractor can move one.
This expediency can be attributed to drivers spending significantly less time outside the cab cranking trailers before hooking up. Drivers never have to set foot on the ground to release or hook up trailers.
And when it comes to raising and lowering the trailer, drivers can do so by just pulling a lever.
Go Places Where Semi-Tractors Can’t
Because of the shorter wheelbase, the spotter truck is much more maneuverable and has a tighter turning radius. Drivers can maneuver containers and trailers into the tightest of spaces where a semi-tractor would be useless.
Promote Safety in the Workplace
Safety events are expensive and a major drain on resources. In addition to the direct costs due to hospital trips and various claims, the resulting time away from work and decreased morale can have long-standing implications. Thus, safety is tied to productivity and efficiency.
Here are four ways the yard spotter truck can help improve safety and eliminate hazards:
- Eliminate common injuries associated with disengaging the fifth wheel pin
- Reduce the prevalence of repetitive motion injuries related to cranking the landing gear
- Help workers avoid injuries associated with continually climbing in and out of the cab to disconnect and connect lines
- Have a 360-degree view that reduces blind spots and helps maximize visibility in all directions
- Have strategically placed mirrors on the rear and side to help ensure accurate load placement and accident reduction
