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Home » The Difference Between a Straight Truck and a Tractor-Trailer
difference between a straight truck and tractor trailer

The Difference Between a Straight Truck and a Tractor-Trailer

If you are looking to understand the difference between a straight truck and a tractor-trailer, you probably wonder which truck configuration fits your needs.

Both have their unique advantages and can perform a wide range of tasks.



The main difference between straight trucks and tractor-trailers relates to the size of the load.

For example, if you need to haul lightweight or medium-weight freight, you might need a type of straight truck. But, if you need to haul heavy-weight freight, you might need a tractor-trailer.

Understanding this distinction between these two types of truck configurations may help you to search for specific trucking jobs.

Below, you'll find the main differences between hauling with a straight truck and hauling with a tractor-trailer.

What Is a Straight Truck?

Find below what is a straight truck. 

A straight truck is a name for a group of vehicles that all have one common characteristic. Be it a box truck, a pickup truck, non-articulated dump truck, or other type of straight trucks, all their parts such as axles, cargo boxes, and the driver's cabin are attached to one single frame. Be it a box truck, a pickup truck, or a non-articulated dump truck. These vehicles fall under the group of a straight trucks.

Straight trucks are used to pull lightweight and medium-heavy weight freight.

Straight trucks are also called unibody vehicles due to their one-piece configuration.

What Is a Tractor Truck?

Tractor trailers or semi-trailers were technically termed like that because a semi-truck is pulling a semi-trailer. Where only the tractor has the engine and the semi-trailer cannot move on its own. Find out the difference between a truck and a tractor.

In terms of vehicle configuration, a tractor-trailer is considered to be an articulated vehicle because it is a combination of a rigid tractor pulling a rigid structure semi-trailer joined together by an articulation point.

In this truck configuration, the semi-trucks (tractor) only function is to tow the semi-trailer. While the merchandise is transported in the semi-trailer

In this tractor-trailer configuration, semi-trailers come in different configurations. That allows us to pull all kinds of heavy-weight freight from 45,000 lbs to oversized loads.

Power

  • Straight truck 

The straight truck's engine is less powerful than that of a tractor-trailer.

  •  Tractor trailer

A semi-truck is a heavy-duty vehicle that is more powerful than an average straight truck.

Dimensions and capacity

  • Straight truck

The height of straight trucks ranges from 6 feet to 8 feet.

Their length ranges from 10 feet to 26 feet

The width ranges from 8 feet to 12 feet.

They can haul loads from 10,000 to 33,000 pounds.

  • Tractor trailer

The height of semi-truck ranges from 12.6 feet to 13.6 feet.

Its length ranges from 28 feet to 53 feet.

Its width ranges from 8 feet to 12 feet.

A truck tractor can haul loads from 20,000 to 80,000 pounds.

Hauling distance

  • Straight truck

They typically make deliveries within a city, province, or community.

  • Tractor trailers

Tractor-trailers transport items to farther destinations.

Uses

  • Straight truck

Straight trucks are used for moving furniture, refrigerators, refuse, boxes, appliances, washers, dryers, and other types of household items. 

  • Tractor-trailer

Tractor trailers can also move all the above but can do that at a higher scale.

Besides that, they can haul heavy loads of construction material, machines, and big heavy things.

Trailer

  • Tractor trailer

A semi-trailer is where the merchandise is loaded.

The semi-trailer is a separate piece of equipment that doesn't have an engine and doesn't have a front axle.

When it's disconnected from the semi-truck, the semi-trailer releases its landing gear to support its weight.

To move, the semi-trailer needs to connect to a tractor. So, the tractor pulls back to attach the semi-trailer through its mounted fifth wheel hitch plate that is located on the back of the semi-truck over the rear axles.

In that way, a tractor, for example, can drop off a dry van trailer and pick up a flatbed trailer.

That means that a semi-truck can use any type of semi-trailer configuration such as a dry van trailer, flatbed trailer, reefer trailer, lowboy trailer, tanker trailer, and many other types of semi-trailer configurations. 

  • Straight truck

A straight truck carries the merchandise in a trailer or in an open bed trailer that is connected to the same chassis along with the other parts of the truck.

Driving requirements

  • Straight truck

Straight truck drivers may often need a CDL B or C to drive a lightweight or a medium-heavy commercial vehicle truck.

  • Tractor trailer

Tractor-trailer drivers are required to have a CDL A license.

CDL A class also allows them to drive nearly all vehicles that a CDL B license allows you to drive.

Driver skills

  • Straight truck

Because straight trucks are unibody vehicles, accelerating and reversing these trucks is similar to driving a car. 

  • Tractor trailer

Because tractor trailers are articulated, accelerating and making turns with combination trucks requires more skills.

Operational Costs of Trucks

  • Straight truck

A straight truck vs tractor trailer, a straight truck is more economical with fuel usage.

Lower maintenance costs

  • Tractor trailer

Tractor trucks have higher maintenance and repair costs because their engines are larger and require more upkeep.

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