Lift or Leveler? (Listserve thread from 11/11/20)

[Paul Brewin]

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Original Post Date: 11/11/20


Hi All,

I’m wondering what people’s preferences are when it comes to a dock lift or a dock leveler. Just to note, the trucks will be parked at a slight incline when parked at the loading dock.


William Bergmann
Chief Preparator

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We have both. A lift is good for small trucks that are not dock height and for objects that need to be off loaded from the side of a truck.


A leveler is the most convenient for dock height trucks. You can run the towmotor or pallet jack easily on and off the truck.


Best Philip Brutz

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Hello Will, an electric or manual operated dock leveler with a long approach plate mounted in a 44”high dock will serve most needs for all kinds of road equipment including air-ride straight trucks and drop frame (E-van) trailers. It will serve well for hand unloading and all types of mechanized conveyance equipment and will last for years and years, especially if protected from weather. I would never recommend the purchase and installation of equipment designed to lift a loaded trailer to dock heights unless there is plenty of capital money and regular maintenance funds that need spent. Or you have a dumb design and have a dock that is way too high ground to floor (that you could easily fix with gravel and cement). I’d like to see the cost benefit math that justifies the investment, or the commission statement for the person who sells them to non-profit institutions.

Don’t get me wrong, they are nice to have on the occasional handling the tall crates that just barely pass through trailer doors. In 44 years of driving commercial motor vehicles including 20 years of regular fine art and cultural exhibition transport I’ve only been in 3 or 4 docks that have them, including CMA. I also pulled trailers that had hydraulic dock risers built on the chassis, so it could lift itself to dock level. It’s easier to hire the right shipper with the right equipment for the exceptional circumstances than over invest in the dock. That said, can we start a thread on truck approaches to the dock and the magical thinking of architects?
TJ Carney

[Matt I]

Hey TJ, that would be a hilarious thread. Our architects thought it a good idea to give us 2", yes 2" of clearance for the full sizes semis. It's nerve-racking every time.