Mainfreight very happy with their DTs

The Terberg Distribution Tractor was developed for busy distribution centres where semi-trailers are frequently coupled and uncoupled, and sites with both pedestrians and vehicles. Mainfreight is a worldwide logistics services provider. They recently started using two DTs at their site at ‘s-Heerenberg in the Netherlands, to improve the work environment of their drivers.

Guido Roes has 21 years’ experience as a shunter driver and told us more about his work “We use the tractors to shunt semi-trailers and drawbar trailers. Each driver shunts around 60 units every shift, and we work in three shifts. We start Monday morning and finish Saturday afternoon. So the tractors are used very intensively. In addition to the two DTs we also have three YTs and a Terberg Body Carrier.

We were already very happy with the YTs, but the introduction of the DT model meant a significant change. The work is now physically much less demanding, the low-entry cab means there are fewer steps to go up and down. A shunter driver has to enter and leave the vehicle around four times for each trailer movement. The low entry saves us 18 steps every trailer move. You can leave the cab on both sides, that reduces the distance you have to walk. Also, you can leave on the side with the least amount of traffic, that’s safer. And you can connect the air hoses from the left or the right. The cab is higher, so tall people no longer have to stoop. One of us had some
physical issues, not related to work, and those practically disappeared with the introduction of the DT.

At the beginning we really had to get used to our eye level being lower, especially as the trailer is very high up compared with the seat. However, once we got used to it that was no longer a problem. The lower position of the seat results in better eye contact with the other traffic, cyclists, pedestrians and car drivers. On the industrial estate here there are some
objects which used to obstruct our view, but “All in all, we are very happy
with the tractors and we would certainly advise others to opt for a
low-entry tractor.” with the low seat height we can see under them, for improved traffic safety. All in all, we are very happy with the tractors and we would certainly advise others to opt for a low-entry tractor.