A terminal tractor, known in the United States as a shag truck, shunt truck, spotter truck, spotting tractor, yard truck, yard shifter, yard dog, yard goat, yard horse, yard mule, yard jockey, yard spotter, hostler, or mule, is a kind of semi-tractor intended to move semi-trailers within a cargo yard, warehouse facility, or intermodal facility, much like a switcher locomotive is used to position railcars. In the United Kingdom they are known as terminal lorries or terminal trucks.
Distinctions between a terminal tractor and a regular tractor unit include:
Since off-road versions do not have to drive on roads at highway speeds, a typical top speed is 25mph.
The global EV push has given rise to a large number of all-electric terminal truck manufacturers around the world. These trucks – used in both on-road and off-road fleet – claim to be zero-emission trucks.[2] Some of the notable manufacturers include Renault, Volvo, MAN, Orange EV, Motiv, Autocar, Kalmar, and Tevva. Orange EV is one of the largest suppliers of zero-emission terminal trucks in the United States.[3]