What is a Yard Ramp?

A yard ramp is the equivalent of a transportable loading dock. These ramps can be pushed up to the opening of a freight container, trailer or rail car to facilitate access by forklifts or pallet trucks.

Yard ramps serve two basic roles and have a couple of different categories:

1. Mobile Yard Ramps: For locations that don’t have a loading dock, they enable forklift access to semi trailers and cargo containers for loading and unloading. Mobile ramps can be used at a permanent location or a temporary job site. Ramps can be easily moved and the height can be changed to fluctuating vehicle heights.
2. Stationary Yard Ramps: For facilities that have a loading dock, a yard ramp can enable forklifts and other vehicles to move from dock level down to ground height and vice versa. Because this type of ramp doesn’t need to be relocated often, it generally doesn’t have the positioning features included with a mobile ramp.

Yard Ramp Configuration

Yard ramps are typically steel construction, but there are also lighter weight aluminum styles available. The length of a yard ramp varies by type, but they are generally about 30-40 feet long. Ramps that are made for loading and unloading have a "level off" segment at the top of the incline so that forklifts can more easily maneuver.

Mobile yard ramps are frequently outfitted with solid pneumatic tires so they can be easily positioned. Ramps can be moved with a forklift using a positioning sleeve mounted on one end of the ramp. The height of the ramp is modified with a hydraulic unit.

Ramp decking varies, but is frequently made of steel grating or diamond plate. Side rails stop forklifts or other equipment from going over the edge. At the elevated end of the ramp there is a lip designed to overlap the trailer deck or loading dock surface.

Yard Ramp Applications

As stated, yard ramps can either allow retrieval of freight or goods from truck height, or allow equipment to travel on and off of a loading dock. That can be useful in many different situations:

• Building Access For Vehicles: Yard ramps can allow forklifts to travel freely in facilities that have both a plant or warehouse and a storage yard. In addition, they can enable other vehicles like pickup trucks or vans to enter a building for loading, maintenance or other purposes. For buildings that require continual movement from dock to ground, there are also stationary ramp options that can be installed.
• Material Storage Yards: A very common use of yard ramps is in material storage yards where loading docks are not an option.
• Equipment Movement: Another common application is for moving heavy equipment, whether it's for construction, oil & gas, mining, forestry or other businesses that utilize large equipment.
• Work Sites: Yard ramps are often used at construction job sites to deliver materials, but there are many other remote job site situations where they may be put to use: loading agricultural totes, military equipment and supplies, outdoor festivals and concerts, etc.
• Dock Expansion: When a warehouse does not have enough loading dock slots available, whether because of volume peaks or unexpected demand, yard ramps can help increase capacity on a temporary basis without construction.

Yard Ramps Near Me

If you have question about yard ramps or need to discuss sales or rentals, get in touch with a material handling expert at Raymond West today. We have a vast array of choices for almost any application.

Raymond West's Riverside service area includes Redlands, Colton, Rialto, Bloomington, Moreno Valley, Hemet, Perris, Lake Elsinore, Menifee, Coachella Valley and all surrounding areas.

Raymond West | Riverside Material Handling Equipment Supplier

Riverside, CA
(951) 384-2444