Yard Trucks Archives - DJ Products

Revolutionizing Trailer Movement: The Power of TrailerCaddy

In the world of heavy-duty trailer movement, efficiency and safety are paramount. Enter the TrailerCaddy, a game-changing solution designed to simplify the process of moving trailers, whether in a warehouse, manufacturing facility, or distribution center. This innovative motorized trailer dolly offers unparalleled power, versatility, and ease of use, making it an essential tool for businesses that handle heavy trailers regularly.

Unmatched Power and Performance

The TrailerCaddy is equipped with a robust motor that generates significant power, allowing it to move trailers weighing up to 50,000 lbs. This impressive capability is due to its heavy duty 36v motor and hydraulic actuator motorized lift kit, which can lift tongue weights from 6,000 to 15,000 lbs. Whether you’re dealing with RVs, horse trailers, toy haulers, or large boats, the TrailerCaddy handles them all with ease.

Versatility at Its Best

One of the standout features of the TrailerCaddy is its versatility. It comes with various attachment options, including ball hitch, kingpin, and pintle attachments. This flexibility ensures that the TrailerCaddy can be used with different types of trailers, making it a valuable multi-purpose unit. Additionally, its size and maneuverability make it an affordable alternative to traditional tractors or pickups.

Ideal for Indoor and Outdoor Use

The TrailerCaddy is designed to perform exceptionally well both indoors and outdoors. Its variable speed control allows for precise maneuvering in tight spaces, while its durable construction ensures it can withstand the rigors of outdoor use. This makes it the perfect solution for manufacturers, warehouses, and distributors who need to move heavy trailers short distances efficiently.

Enhancing Safety and Efficiency

Safety is a critical concern when moving heavy trailers, and the TrailerCaddy addresses this with its optional powered brake release system. This feature enhances control and stability, reducing the risk of accidents during trailer movement. Moreover, the TrailerCaddy’s ease of operation means that employees can quickly learn to use it, improving overall efficiency and productivity.

Customer Testimonials

The TrailerCaddy has received glowing reviews from users who appreciate its performance and reliability. Customers have praised its ability to move heavy loads effortlessly and its user-friendly design. One satisfied user mentioned:

“The TrailerCaddy moves my 13,000 lb. trailer around like it is a little red wagon.”

Such testimonials highlight the TrailerCaddy’s effectiveness and the positive impact it has on daily operations.

Conclusion

The TrailerCaddy is a revolutionary tool that transforms the way heavy trailers are moved. Its powerful motor, versatile attachments, and user-friendly design make it an indispensable asset for any business that deals with heavy trailers. By enhancing safety and efficiency, the TrailerCaddy ensures that trailer movement is no longer a daunting task but a seamless and straightforward process.

Explore the TrailerCaddy and experience the future of trailer movement today!

TrailerCaddy Terminal Tractor Lets You Use Regular Staff to Move Trailers – No CDL Needed!

DJ Products Highlights the TrailerCaddy Terminal Tractor

After nearly two years, the transportation industry continues to grapple with a shortage of available and qualified truck drivers, which is having a ripple effect on the country’s supply chain. Keep your drivers on the road and out of the yard with a TrailerCaddy Terminal Tractor from DJ Products.

Are Your Truck Drivers Actually Driving?

Just how deeply is this problem affecting companies? Ryan Dezurik of DJ Products relates a conversation one of our Sales Engineers recently had during a meeting with one of the top global event agencies.

According to the agency’s representative, “Hundreds of thousands of dollars are being spent annually to keep a CDL licensed driver on site to move trailers in and out of dock doors at their 39 locations across five countries.” This is time and money that would be better spent on actually transporting shipments from one location to another.

Save Time and Money with a TrailerCaddy Terminal Tractor

So what’s the solution? Our TrailerCaddy Terminal Tractor doesn’t require a specialized license for operation. As Dezurik explains, “The process to pull loaded trailers out of dock doors to stage for drivers and bring empty trailers into the docks for loading can be streamlined to help increase efficiency and save money.”

An In-Depth Look at the TrailerCaddy

Let’s take a look at what makes the TrailerCaddy a vital resource for any transportation company.

This streamlined yet powerful yard truck allows a single person to move trailers weighing up to 100,000 pounds.
The 48-volt battery system is eco-friendly and provides long run times.
Forward-facing operation and precise speed control improve safety and make it easier to maneuver trailers around the yard.
Cost is less than 25 percent of a new shunt truck and there’s no expensive maintenance.
No CDL or health card is required, so any employee can operate the TrailerCaddy. Eliminate wasted time waiting for a hostler or other specially qualified staffer.

DJ Products: Your Full-Service Material Handling Solution

Find out how the TrailerCaddy can save money and improve functionality at your company. Call 1-800-686-2651 or contact us online to speak with one of our Sales Engineers.

Watch the Video to See How Easy it Is to Operate

Find out more about the DJ Products trailer dolly line. We have wheeled cart moving solutions for trailers, cargo trailers, RV’s, semi-trailers, and boat trailers.

Reducing Logistics Costs Through the Use of Internet of Things (IoT)

IoT Will Revolutionize Warehouses

The global supply chain already relies on smart technology to speed up distribution, reduce paperwork, and allow customers and vendors to track shipments. Next up, the Internet of Things for logistics is reducing costs by improving tracking and data.

Some retailers are moving closer to on-demand manufacturing. Others are reducing wait times and stagnant inventory by taking advantage of the smallest details, like using yard trucks to prepare trailers to go out even before customers have actually placed the order.

How IoT Affects Logistics

Traditionally, supply chain logistics has been about making the best of push-based systems that require manufacturing parts or products months or years before a product will ever be sold. Missing data and guesstimation lead to high costs.

Connected devices provide better data that makes several cost-cutting and efficiency goals attainable:

– Pull-based ordering and manufacturing

– Solving understock and overstock issues

– Analytics to predict customer demand

– Identify slow parts of the supply chain

– Map inventory from raw materials to delivery

Examples of Supply Chain IoT

Smart devices for the supply chain range from simple products like RFID and GPS sensors to more advanced robotics. The data you collect is just as important for analytics as it is for on-the-ground operations.

Once your supply chain is on the Internet of Things, you can enact measures for better operational efficiency at the warehouse. It’s all about getting things out the door on time – not a moment too soon or too late.

Electric yard trucks allow workers to park trailers at the dock and maneuver them around the lot for immediate pick-up. DJ Products makes powered trailer dollies like the TrailerCaddy yard trucks that any employee can use, even without a CDL.

What to Expect in 2019 in the Logistics and Transportation Industries

What to Expect in the Rest of 2019

What is the best way to use big data in logistics and transportation? In 2019 and beyond, businesses are under competitive pressure to turn the data they have into effective results. From overseas manufacturers to the terminal tractors and trucks at your warehouse, every piece needs to be in sync and taking advantage of the latest technology and data.

Transportation experts see organizations taking a “coherent and structured approach” to their newest initiatives. Whether it’s public transportation, warehouse shipping, or last-mile couriers, each segment needs to align its stakeholders under one vision of reliable, efficient logistics.

Logistics trends in 2019 include:

– Smart cities initiatives

– Customized service models

– Money-back guarantees

– Results-based investments using big data

– IoT solutions to solve TL, LTL, and parcel delivery issues

– Driverless vehicles to solve the shortage crisis

– Reducing transportation costs by minimizing loading and unloading delays

Controlling Costs and Improving Logistics Efficiency

New technology and approaches are emerging to cut down on the ever-rising costs of transportation. Once you have the data to identify bottlenecks, prevent overstocking, and streamline the supply chain, you need to put a plan into action.

At the warehouse, the digital age has already made inventory tracking easier. Transportation needs to catch up. All the speed in the world for ordering and picking doesn’t matter if you can’t get the trucks on the road just as fast.

To reduce wait times at the warehouse and move products more efficiently and less expensively, switch to electric terminal tractors instead of shunt trucks. TrailerCaddy Terminal Tractors from DJ Products cost less than a quarter of a shunt truck with lower maintenance, greater safety, and no CDL driver required.

To learn more about battery-powered, semi-trailer tow dollies and terminal tractors, contact DJ Products or call 1-800-686-2651.

Five Considerations for Managing Your Semi Truck Fleet Maintenance

Managing Your Semi Truck Fleet Maintenance

Preventive maintenance for truck fleets has gotten easier thanks to smart apps that monitor and alert you to service needs. Yet managers still need to be vigilant. We’ve rounded up some fleet maintenance tips that will help with costs and efficiency.

One overlooked area is the option to reduce the stress on your fleet vehicles by using electric yard trucks to shunt trailers to and from the dock.

Top 5 Tips for Semi Truck Maintenance

Keep those wheels rolling, and consider these tips:

Pay now, or pay more later: The cost of preventive maintenance will always be less compared to emergency repairs and towing for broken-down trucks.

Turn oil changes into full inspections: When it’s time for an oil change or a tire rotation, make more efficient use of the downtime by getting the fluids, air pressure, and other things inspected.

Monitor warranties: Some fleet managers prefer to run each vehicle to death to squeeze maximum life out of a paid-off asset. Others choose to sell off vehicles that are out of warranty. Do the math on cost of ownership.

Train drivers on what to look for: Create a system for drivers to report vehicle problems and make sure they adhere to the preventive maintenance schedule.

Get the right trucks and equipment: For your round of purchasing, find fleet vehicles that meet your specs. If it’s a stretch, work will be harder on the vehicle. Also look for material handling equipment and shunt yard trucks that make it easier to operate your fleet.

Reduce Fleet Maintenance Costs

At DJ Products, we’ve designed our Trailer Caddy Electric Yard Trucks for easy control and safety. They also aid with operations efficiency and reduce fleet maintenance costs. For more info, call 1.800.686.2651 or contact us.

Experienced Long Haul Truckers Share Their Top Driver Tips

Checking Your Vehicle Periodically While Doing Long Hauls is Essential for Proper Safety and Maintenance.

Your yard trucks are hauling cargo destined for a dangerous journey. Are your long-haul truck drivers prepared to make it to their destination safely?

Experienced Long Haul Truckers Share Their Top Driver Tips
Truck driving is a lifetime skill that requires refinement over time. Here are a few lessons from seasoned veterans for those new to the arena:

Look at your truck after leaving it.
Are your hazard lights or blinkers on? You’re not done after parking.

Know where your trailer is at all times.
Drive your trailer like your cab. If it wanders outside the lines, you aren’t driving safely. Lives are at stake.

Don’t shirk pre-trip inspections.
Check the lights, tires, pins, valve stem covers, the fifth wheel, and be mindful of inspection dates. You never know when a DOT officer will be verifying your work.

Have an exit plan.
As you exit for a truck stop, take the time to look at signs to see how you get back on the highway, otherwise you could miss it and end up lost after taking a wrong turn.

Don’t swerve to miss that animal.
Not only is it often a safety department policy, that animal is not worth your life or that of the family in the vehicle next to you. Your vehicle is 80,000-lbs, and the odds of swerving quickly enough to miss it are stacked against you. It’s a sad reality, but holding the wheel tightly and slowing down are sometimes the best you can do.

Ask for help when you need it.
No one is in it alone, and it feels good to pay it forward when others are in need.

Keep your employees safe. Learn more about yard trucks from DJ Products today.

Five Important Trends for 2019 in Logistics – Part Two

Technology Should Make Working Easier. That is the Future. A more Efficient Workplace.

How should logistics use blockchain? Can technology help businesses make up for a shortage of skilled labor? These are some of the burning questions for logistics in 2019. We’re in a strong business climate, but forecasters like PwC say that two-thirds of T&L CEOs expect technology and other factors to substantially disrupt their business.

Now let’s look at how companies will be using technology to change the game. Yard trucks and other material handling equipment are helping workers of all skill levels. On the digital side, we’re seeing a new generation of logistics tools that use blockchain, Internet of Things, and artificial intelligence.

The Machines Are Taking Over…

While the media likes to cover automation that eliminates jobs, most warehouses are using robotics and smart equipment to empower their employees. In 2019, logistics technology is helping businesses make up for the skill gap.

Trends for more efficient logistics include resources such as:

– Predictive AI for inventory, scheduling, deliveries, etc.

– Blockchain and distributed ledgers for security in the supply chain

– Augmented reality (AR) to design an efficient warehouse, find items quickly, scan for shipping, etc.

But We Still Need Tools for Warehouse Workers

Various forms of electro-mobility are empowering businesses to get more productivity and efficiency out of warehouse workers.

Look at the electric yard trucks from DJ Products for an example. You don’t need to waste a CDL driver by asking them to move trailers around the dock or freight yard. Now, any dock worker can shift a semi-trailer using an easy tow dolly. It’s fast, precise, and less expensive than a shunt truck to own and operate.

Follow the DJ Products blog for logistics industry news, and call 800.686.2651 for more info about our yard trucks and material handling equipment.

Truck Mirrors – What to Know Before You Buy

Unlike small and easily maneuverable yard trucks, your large and powerful rig requires careful care in operation to keep fellow travelers in smaller highway vehicles safe. Your mirrors are an essential feature in helping you accomplish this, granting you a greater vantage point of the things surrounding you. But as with many products, not all things are created equal.

‘If You Can’t See My Mirrors, I Can’t See You’

Anyone traveling America’s highways knows this phrase. This simple sticker says it all, alerting passenger vehicle drivers that it’s a crucial responsibility to stay in sight of trucker’s mirrors. It’s just as crucial for you, as a truck driver, to carefully choose and maintain these mirrors that are so essential to protecting yourself and fellow motorists.

Truck Mirrors Broken? Avoid these Purchasing Pitfalls:

Be Wary of Non-OEM Replacement Mirrors
Avoid bargain basement stick-on mirrors and the like. If your factory truck mirrors have broken, obtaining an exact replacement from the manufacturer is best. Your truck’s mirrors are precisely sized and curved to allow for the best visual range for its specific size and features. However, that’s not to say there aren’t any good aftermarket replacements, because some of them offer additional features that improve safety.

Upgrade to Heated Mirrors if Driving in Cold Climates
Heated mirrors are a great investment for those driving in areas that commonly experience frost, snow, and ice, ensuring a clear mirror in these already dangerous conditions.

Consider Additional Mirrors to Expand Your View
Installing additional mirrors on the cab of your truck can help you eliminate blind spots and increase your viewing range.

Get a good look at true trucking business efficiency. Learn more about yard trucks from DJ Products today.

February Brings Snow – Tips to Share with Your Fleet on Driving in Bad Weather

Share Our Snow Driving Tips with Your Fleet

When your fleet is on the road, they don’t have the advantage of yard trucks to help maneuver through winter driving conditions. Snow, sleet, wind and hail create treacherous roads resulting in costly and time-consuming delays, accidents and injuries.

Make bad weather awareness a regular focus of communication with your drivers during winter months. Professional truckers offer helpful tips for dealing with major hazards of winter driving.

Freezing Rain

Freezing rain, also known as sleet, is one of the more challenging winter conditions as it often produces black ice and low visibility. Once ice begins forming on mirrors and windshields, the best course of action is simply to pull off the road until the freezing rain stops.

Heavy Snow

Snow can be unpredictable, especially when traveling through high altitude areas, and it can take a while before roads are clear enough to travel. Fuel up before beginning a trip and keep tire chains, food and extra clothing on hand.

Strong Winds

When crossing wide open spaces on the highway, even heavy trucks have little protection against strong winds. If winds are making the truck difficult to control, find a truck or rest stop and park between two van trailers.

Intense Cold

When temperatures drop low enough, it can interfere with the truck’s engine running properly. If you’ll be stopped for a while, it might be a good idea to leave the truck on high idle to keep the engine warm.

Save Time and Boost Productivity with Yard Trucks from DJ Products

Time is one of the more valuable resources in the transportation industry. Our Electric Yard Dog is ready when you need it most. Visit our website to learn more about yard trucks and our other tugs, movers and pushers.

In an Unusual Move, Delaware Changes Truck Weight Rules for Road for Local Residents

Truck Weight Rules Changes in Delaware Locality

The term “yard trucks” may have taken on new meaning for residents near Delaware’s Port of Wilmington. For years they have complained about commercial vehicle traffic on their two-lane road, citing an obscure rule from Delaware Department of Transportation (DelDOT).

Late last year, DelDOT had an official response to the complaints. Unfortunately for local residents, it’s not what any of them anticipated.

Truck Traffic in Residential Area

Pyles Lane is a road frequently used by trucks entering and leaving the facilities of Port-to-Port International Corp., which is in the business of shipping used and wrecked vehicles to Central America. People living on Pyles Lane have complained about incessant noise, vibrations and emissions from the constant traffic.

DelDOT instituted a rule in 1971 saying trucks over 5,000 pounds were forbidden to travel Pyles Land from Del. 9 to approximately 200 feet from Port-to-Port’s entrance. The only exception made was for local vehicles making local deliveries.

Are Truckers Breaking the Law?

The rule made it virtually illegal for trucks to access Port-to-Port’s facility. Residents of Pyles Lane have been insisting that DelDOT enforce their law and forbid commercial vehicles to travel the road.

In a surprise move, DelDOT affirmed that trucks going to and from Port-to-Port qualify as “local vehicles making local deliveries” and are thereby exempt from the rule. They also moved the restricted line another 200 feet, freeing up access to Port-to-Port’s entrance.

C.R. McLeod, spokesperson for DelDOT, explained that banning commercial vehicles on Pyles Lane would effectively put Port-to-Port out of business, something the agency was not prepared to do.

Improve Turnaround Time with Yard Trucks from DJ Products

Call 800.686.2651 to learn more about the features and benefits of our best-selling Electric Yard Dog.

Category: Yard Trucks