What is a Yard Ramp?

A yard ramp is essentially a moveable loading dock. It's a ramp that can be pushed up to the opening of a cargo container, semi trailer or rail car to permit access by forklifts or pallet trucks.

Yard ramps have two primary purposes and have a couple of distinct categories:

1. Mobile Yard Ramps: For facilities that don’t have a loading dock, they permit lift truck access to trailers and shipping containers for loading and unloading. This can be at a permanent place of business or a temporary work site. Ramps can be easily repositioned and the height can be changed to fluctuating vehicle levels.
2. Stationary Yard Ramps: For buildings that have a loading dock, a yard ramp can permit lift trucks and other vehicles to move from dock height down to ground height and vice versa. Since this style of ramp doesn’t need to be relocated on a regular basis, it typically doesn’t have the positioning features supplied with a mobile ramp.

Yard Ramp Configuration

Yard ramps are most often made of steel, but there are also lightweight aluminum styles available. The length of a yard ramp varies by type, but they are usually in the 30'-40' range. Ramps that are made for loading and unloading have a "level off" length at the top of the slope so that forklifts are able to move about.

Portable yard ramps are generally outfitted with solid pneumatic tires so they can be easily relocated. Ramps can be rotated with a forklift using a positioning sleeve affixed to the low side of the ramp. The angle of the ramp can be adjusted with a hydraulic unit.

Ramp decking varies, but is often made of steel diamond plate or grating. Rails along the sides prevent lift trucks or other vehicles from rolling over the edge. At the elevated end of the ramp there is a lip meant to overlap the trailer deck or loading dock edge.

Yard Ramp Applications

As mentioned, yard ramps can either facilitate cargo flow to and from truck height, or permit vehicles to travel on and off of a loading dock. That can be useful in many different situations:

• Vehicle Access To Buildings: Yard ramps can enable forklifts to move freely on properties that have both a warehouse or production plant 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 routine travel from dock to ground, there are also stationary ramp options that can be installed.
• Material Storage Yards: Yard ramps are often used in material storage yards where it is not possible to install a loading dock.
• Equipment Relocation: Another common application is for moving heavy equipment, whether it's for construction, oil & gas, forestry, mining or other businesses that use heavy equipment.
• Work Sites: Yard ramps are often used at construction job sites to deliver materials, but there are many other remote work site scenarios where ramps may be useful: military supplies and equipment, agricultural totes, outdoor events and concerts, etc.
• Dock Expansion: If a facility does not have enough loading dock slots available, whether because of volume peaks or unexpected demand, yard ramps can help increase capacity temporarily.

Yard Ramps Near Me

For yard ramp questions, sales or rentals, talk to a material handling expert at Raymond West today. We have a vast range of choices for nearly any application.

Raymond West's Nogales facility serves Santa Cruz County and Pima County, including Nogales, Patagonia, Tucson, South Tucson, Marana, Oro Valley, Sahuarita and surrounding areas

Raymond West | Nogales Material Handling Equipment Supplier

480 N Mariposa Rd C
Nogales, AZ 85621
(520) 281-4125