The name kind of gives it away doesn't it? A truck turntable is essentially a circular, rotating motorised platform on which a truck is parked and then turned. It is designed to address situations where space is tight, and narrow turning circles are required. A truck turntable can be built either above-ground, or, in-ground, where the turntable sits flush with the existing ground. Truck turntables can be designed to cater for almost any truck; from small furniture removal trucks, right up to giant 360 tonne mining dump trucks.
What are the benefits of using a truck turntable?
Truck turntables can deliver significant efficiencies to companies. How so?
- Turntables save space because it's not necessary to leave the same amount of room to allow for trucks turning. This means the extra space can be used more productively
- Turntables minimise the risk of safety incidents and damage to property because you no longer have large trucks attempting to reverse and turn in tight quarters.
- Turntables, when installed at warehouses for instance, can allow bigger trucks to deliver, reducing costs
- Turntables can ease driver frustration and improve job satisfaction, particularly in the case of warehouses or loading docks that are difficult to access
- Turntables speed up product delivery or removal - small truck turntables can even be designed to rotate two trucks at once.
Truck turntables are proving increasingly popular as urban density increases and space comes more and more at a premium. Many councils across Australia also now mandate that trucks and other vehicles enter traffic facing forwards, meaning turntables have become an essential requirement for many businesses.
Who invented the turntable?
Before we had vehicle turntables - in fact before we even had vehicles - the English invented locomotive turntables. They did this in part to overcome a rather fundamental problem with many steam engines: they couldn't go backwards.
The locomotive turntable was originally turned by hand and was the precursor to the vehicle turntable which has existed in various forms since the early 1900s. This, not coincidentally was the period in which cars first started being mass-produced. In fact Henry Ford had an automotive turntable installed in his private estate in 1916.
Turntable technology has continued to evolve since its early days. Nowadays standard motorised truck turntables can be operated either by turnkey or wireless technology.
Where are truck turntables used?
Truck turntables are used by many companies throughout Australia (and the world) that need trucks turned quickly and efficiently in minimal space. They are commonly installed at warehouses as mentioned above. They can also be found nowadays on mining sites, construction sites and at workshops. Basically if you've got trucks coming and going frequently, space is at a premium and you're interested in safety; a truck turntable can be an incredibly useful addition to your business.
If you're interested in installing a truck turntable for your business, contact Vehicle Parking Systems today. We provide and install car turntables as well.