Semi trucks are a vehicle we see almost every day. Many young kids are fascinated by the &#;big cars.&#; But the average person likely doesn&#;t know a lot about semi trucks. For example, you might call them tractor-trailers, 18-wheelers or just trucks. In this blog, we&#;ll answer all your basic questions about semi trucks.
Please visit our website for more information on this topic.
A semi is a heavy-duty truck used for hauling large loads. Technically, they&#;re Class 7 or Class 8 vehicles. For comparison, the big pickups you see pulling camping trailers are usually Class 2b or Class 3 vehicles, sometimes Class 4.
It&#;s actually a bit of a mistake to call the truck a semi. The term originally referred to the trailers. Because the trailers don&#;t have a front set of wheels, they aren&#;t technically trailers. So they were called semi-trailers. Over time, people started referring to the truck-trailer combo as a semi, then just the truck.
There are tons of other common names for them as well. 18-Wheeler is one of the most popular and refers to the 18 wheels that a semi typically has when pulling a trailer. Tractor-trailer is also another term you may hear a lot. All of these names refer to the combo of the truck and trailer, though are most commonly associated with just the truck portion.
You can divide trucks into two categories: sleeper and day cab. A sleeper is used for long-haul trucking because it has a bedroom compartment in the back of the truck. Sleepers can be pretty basic with just a single bed and some storage. Or they can get pretty fancy with two beds, a minifridge and microwave, TV and surround sound, and more! That may sound like a lot for a truck, but drivers can spend a week or more living in their truck, getting out only for bathroom breaks and to fill up the tank.
A Volvo Day Cab TruckA day cab is just a big truck without the sleeping area. These trucks are used for shorter distances where the driver gets to go home at the end of his shift. You often see day cabs at distribution centers, ports, and even airports. Wherever there is a high volume of things shipped, you&#;ll often see day cabs around.
You can have high-roof, mid-roof or flat roof trucks. High-roof trucks have the tallest roof possible, giving the driver plenty of room to stand up. High-roof trucks can be over 8 feet high inside. Mid-roof trucks are usually around 6 ft 9 inches inside. Flat-roof trucks are around 5 feet tall inside. These features determine how comfortable the driver will be while living in the truck, but also impact what you can pull with that truck and where you can go. Low bridges, tunnels and other road features mean tall vehicles can&#;t take some roads.
A Mack Anthem Sleeper TruckThat answer varies a lot depending on the make and model of the truck as well as the engine in the truck. Day cabs (the ones without beds) generally weigh around 15-16,000 pounds, around the same as two adult Asian elephants. Small sleepers (the flat roof ones) are about 1,000 pounds more. That&#;s like putting a polar bear on those elephants. Large sleepers can weigh over 18,000 pounds.
Nope! The trailer attaches to the truck with a large pin, called a king pin, that&#;s usually 2-3 inches thick sticking out of the underside of the trailer. Imagine a water bottle-sized solid steel pipe. The king pin goes through the fifth wheel, a big horseshoe-shaped piece of metal on the back of the truck, and clamps lock it in place. Tow hitches just wouldn&#;t be strong enough to pull a full trailer. Fifth wheels also bring the weight of the front half of the trailer right over the back wheels, making it easier to pull tall, heavy trailers.
As with weight, the price changes depending on the kind of truck, the engine and other features. New semis generally start above $100,000, but with more features on larger trucks, the price can get close to $200,000. Used trucks can be a great way to get a good truck at a lower price. Those are generally priced lower around $40,000-70,000. But prices can go lower or higher depending on the mileage, condition, age, make and model, and features of the used truck. Some can be as low as $10,000 for older or high mileage trucks.
Curious to learn more about what buying process looks like? Check out our buying guide for used semi trucks.
Semi trucks are between 6.5 and 10 feet. The height depends on whether the truck has a higher roof on the sleeper, or a roof cap. The roof cap is a curved piece coming over the roof of the truck to make it more aerodynamic. Many day cabs have tall roof caps, allowing air to flow smoothly up the front of the truck and across the top of the trailer.
They pull anything over 26,000 pounds. But the maximum for many trucks is actually road weight limits. In every state, 80,000 pounds is the limit for all vehicles. That&#;s the equivalent of 26 Prius cars! The weight also depends on the type of trailer.
Dry van trailers are the typical rectangular box you see on the road. They are used for shipping lots of consumer goods like clothes, toys, electronics, books and more.
Refrigerated vans, or reefers, look like dry vans, but they have a big cooler attached to the front of the trailer. They are used to transport food that needs to stay cold like meat, cheese and ice cream.
A Volvo VNX towing a flatbed drop deck trailerThen, there are flatbed trailers which can be just a flat base, or a big step, called a drop deck or step deck. These are used to transport big things that don&#;t need to be protected from rain or wind, or things that don&#;t fit in a van.
Another type of trailer is a tanker. There are lots of kinds of tankers. Some empty from the back, some from the bottom, some from the top. They can carry all kinds of liquid like milk or oil, but they are also used to haul things like wheat and beans.
The last common type of trailer is a car hauler. There are open and enclosed car haulers. Open car haulers are more common and used to move cars from a port or factory to a distribution point or dealership. Enclosed car haulers protect the car from any damage on the road, so they&#;re used more for very expensive cars or custom cars, like racecars.
Well, that&#;s hard to say. As an authorized Mack and Volvo dealer, we think they are some of the best performing semis on the market today. But the &#;best&#; truck is often based on opinion and the exact application.
So, those are the basics! You&#;re always able to browse our large inventory of new and used semi trucks for sale. We always welcome questions, so find us on social media!
Types of Semi Trucks & How to Buy the Right One for Your Business
At Transwest, we know how difficult it can be to determine which trucks are best for your fleet. With a quality inventory of semi-trucks and trailers, we are here to ensure that your purchasing process is efficient and that you find the right truck for your needs.
Before you begin researching and prior to making a final choice, it's important to understand what options are available. From the cab type to the trailer being towed, there's a lot to know.
The following guide will help you learn more about the types of semi-trucks available on the market, as well as information on how to buy the right one for your business. By the end, you should feel confident in your ability to choose the right vehicles for your business&#; fleet.
Before exploring the types of semi-trucks available, it is important to establish an understanding of what the term &#;semi-truck&#; encompasses. A semi-truck is a combination of two components.
First, there's the tractor unit that provides the power. The tractor is also where the truck&#;s cab is located.
The second component of a semi-truck is one or more trailers attached to the tractor. These trailers can be used to haul everything from heavy equipment to refrigerated goods, depending on the style of the unit.
To begin, the following will walk you through common types of semi-trucks:
A day cab is a basic semi-truck that contains an area for a driver and a passenger to sit and is often equipped with rear windows. These rear windows make backing up and navigating the day cab easier than cabs with sleeping quarters.
Day cabs are often used for shorter trips that do not require the driver to be gone overnight. With their shorter body, they are easier to drive in tight areas and are ideal for simple navigation. Almost any trailer style can be attached to a day cab, making this a versatile tractor type.
For those who do over the road hauling, a sleeper truck is a great choice. These semi-trucks are designed with built-in sleeping quarters and additional amenities. Similar to a day cab, the front of the tractor contains the driver and passenger seats. However, in a sleeper truck, the rest of the cabin is dedicated to living quarters.
Sleeper tractors are available in a wide array of sizes and styles. You can opt for a simple version with a basic sleeping area or a much more elaborate style with a full RV set up. Sleeper trucks can be hooked up to a variety of trailer styles, most often utilized in conjunction with long hauling.
For those who need a specialized tractor, a custom hauler is a great choice. Custom haulers are versatile trucks that are customized to meet the needs of your business. You can purchase a hauler with varying towing capabilities, as well as with any extras you desire. If you want to add sleeping quarters to a custom hauler, you can.
The benefit of a custom hauler is that it is equipped with some of the most powerful engines on the market. These haulers can reliably transport goods across long distances and are often chosen for oversize loads.
Attached to the semi-tractor is one or more trailers. These trailers come in numerous sizes and styles, with a variety of specialized trailers available for hauling distinct goods. The following is a list of common semi-trailer types and their uses:
These are only a few of the numerous semi-trailer options available on the market today. Pairing the right trailer with the right tractor makes hauling almost any cargo possible.
Additionally, when shopping for a semi-truck, you will need to choose between a few standard manufacturers. The following are all popular semi-truck brands:
With the slogan &#;Trucks that mean business&#;, Freightliner is a trucking industry staple. Freightliner is highly esteemed for its quality trucks offering extreme durability, efficiency, and excellent fuel economy.
Western Star is another clear industry leader. Starting in , Western Star has been esteemed for its heavy-duty trucks capable of holding up in the roughest environments. From the logging industry to the coal mines, Western Star has earned a premium reputation in the trucking industry.
With competitive price and timely delivery, Haiheyuan sincerely hope to be your supplier and partner.
Autocar designs a line of specialized semi-trucks, with a focus on leading innovation and technology. Autocar has been in business since and has become a trusted staple of the trucking industry.
When choosing the right truck for your business, it comes down to a few key questions. What type of cab do you need? What do you need to haul? And, do you have a preferred manufacturer?
At Transwest, we can assist you in answering all these questions and more. We will work with you to locate the ideal semi-truck from our quality inventory. Whether you need to purchase a single day cab or a fleet of semi-truck and trailer combinations, we're here to help.
Shop All Trucks
at Transwest of Brighton, CO
Used Day Cab
diesel
430,451 Miles
Contact For Price
See Details
27
at Transwest of Frederick, CO
New Hauler
Diesel
875 Miles
$213,989
See Details
20
at Transwest of Sioux Falls, SD
New Sleeper Truck
Diesel
$185,000
See Details
25
at Transwest of Brighton, CO
Used Day Cab
Diesel
345,384 Miles
Contact For Price
See Details
Shop All Trucks
For more information, please visit Custom Semi Trailers.