Rigid truck
Also known as: Rigid truck · Box truck · Lorry · Straight truck · Kamyon · 7.5 t truck · 18 t truck
A rigid truck has its cargo body fixed on the same chassis as the cab — there is no separate trailer. It is used for smaller loads and city or regional deliveries.
Names in other languages
- English
- Rigid truck
- Türkçe
- Kamyon
- فارسی
- کامیون تک
- Русский
- Одиночный грузовик
- 简体中文
- 单体货车
- العربية
- شاحنة صلبة (بدون مقطورة)
Specifications
Typical figures — they vary by manufacturer and by country rules on weights and sizes.
| Specifications | 7.5 t | 12 t | 18 t |
|---|---|---|---|
| Internal length | 6,200 mm | 7,200 mm | 7,700 mm |
| Internal width | 2,450 mm | 2,450 mm | 2,480 mm |
| Internal height | 2,400 mm | 2,500 mm | 2,600 mm |
| Max payload | 2,800 kg | 5,500 kg | 9,000 kg |
| Capacity | 36 m³ | 44 m³ | 50 m³ |
| Euro pallets (1200 × 800 mm) | 15 | 18 | 18 |
| Loading method | Rear · Side | ||
Typical cargo
Part loads, groupage deliveries, retail and food distribution, furniture deliveries, and building materials for small sites.
In plain words
Rigid trucks come in many sizes, usually named by their maximum total weight: 7.5 t, 12 t, 18 t, and up to 26 t or more. The body may be a box, a curtainsider, a reefer, or a flatbed, and many have a tail lift to load pallets without a dock. Smaller trucks can enter city centres and narrow streets where articulated trucks cannot go.
A rigid truck is often the right choice for part loads, for the last leg of groupage, and for customers without a loading dock. Some city areas limit truck size, weight, or delivery hours. In many countries, trucks over 3.5 t need a professional driver's licence.
Advantages
- Fits narrow streets and city centres.
- Tail lifts allow delivery without a loading dock.
- Cheaper than a full trailer for small loads.
Limits
- Much lower payload and volume than a semi-trailer.
- City rules may limit size, weight, or delivery times.
- Less economical for long international distances.
Example from real shipping
Groupage cargo from Turkey arrives at a hub near Vienna. The 6 pallets for a shop in the city centre are moved onto a 7.5 t rigid truck with a tail lift. It enters the narrow streets, and the driver lowers the pallets to the pavement with the tail lift.
Related terms
- Jumbo / Road trainA jumbo is a rigid truck with its own load body that pulls a drawbar trailer. Together they give about 15.4 m of loading length and around 115 m³ — the most volume on the road.
- Tilt trailer / CurtainsiderThe standard European semi-trailer: a 13.6 m loading area covered by a tarpaulin. It can be loaded from the rear, the sides, or the top.
- LCLLCL means your cargo shares a container with cargo from other shippers. You pay only for the space your goods use.
- Road vehicle typesA side-by-side comparison of the trucks and trailers used in road freight: load space, payload, volume, pallet places, loading method, and typical cargo.
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Request a QuoteThis glossary is general information, not legal or customs advice. Rules, fees, and practice can differ by carrier, port, and country.