loading docks - how tight can an 18wheeler back up?

I have an idea,I used to deliver to an inside of building docks at a grocery warehouse,it was very tight,we drove in under the buiding roof and backed up to our left as you would see the trailer in your mirror from the drivers seat,a 90 degree angle,then pull up against the wall to straighten back out,tandems had to be released so you could slide them all the way back when you are parked at the dock,with a long trailer 53 and sleeper classic freightliner you had to let the tandems free as you could not fit between easily to lock or release them with barn type doors. This place is called Market Basket in Tewksbury ,ma.,if you call them I would bet they could help you in your design. Their place is reall tight,see many bent bumpers in there thru the years. I would guess We had 25 to 30 feet in front of bumper to the cement wall ahead,and its tight,ca.or long trucks could not make it,yard jockeys put them in and out for drivers there.

 

I'd just like to say to Architect for actually giving some thought to the process and asking the people who actually know what's going on.

All too often, loading docks are treated as an afterthought and tacked on by people who think a 53' bends in the middle or something, or who don't understand that blindsiding is a serious hassle/safety hazard, or who don't realize that the whole logistical picture changes when there's more than one truck involved...we've all been there. Nice to see a designer using his/her head!

 

Go to Kansas City to visit some of the "Caves" (underground shipping/receiving areas). Whatch what the drivers have to deal with; take measurements.

 

I have seen some of the most experienced drivers have difficult doing 90 degree parking even in truckstops. I have designed parking facilities, buildings, along with other retail centers, and have found that even the slightest angle can make parking more driver friendly.

I have driven a truck that was 77' total. 90 degree parking can be a pain. Especially if you have a 53' trailer. The 5' that hangs out past the tandems can swing into the truck / trailer beside you, if you or the other driver doesn't allow enough room on the side to clear before having to turn while pulling out.

If you are designing from scratch and have the room, why not arrange the long docks on a 10 degree angle. This minor adjustment makes a substantial difference in getting in / out easier.

 

The measurements sound fine to me although I have to see it from the driver's seat before I know for sure. I am reminded of my days in Ottawa, IL where a new hospital was under construction in the early 1970s. The architects designed a blind-side loading dock at the bottom of a ramp.

Lighting is very important at inside docks. Lights should be aimed toward the dock from high and far out from the dock to avoid blinding the driver in his mirrors. At the same time, flood lights above the dock should be shielded from spreading beyond the immediate dock area.

Lines should be painted on the floor to mark the lanes. Reflectors can be installed on the dock walls. Drivers need all the help they can get at indoor docks.

If a dock area is really tight for space, a turn-table can align the trucks similar to the device in a railroad round-house.

 

Guys,

i have a similar question. We're trying to add an enclosed dumpster which narrows an existing loading dock. The dumpster enclosure would be 35 feet deep and leave about 10 feet left for the truck to back into. Can a 53' truck back into a 10"-0'' loading dock without crushing the new enclosure next to it?

Thanks.

 

Without physically looking at the area it is impossible to tell one way or the other.

Some points to ponder, if it is that tight that you are worried about it, sooner or later someone will back into it.

Why create a known hazard?

Probably best to locate it somewhere else, or close that particular dock down.

 

architect. the easy back into a inside dock is from a 45* angle. also lots of lighting with reflective paint lines on back of dock on outside edge of dock bump pads and on the floor. If you have doors allow for at least 4ft of manuever room on either side. those tight doors make it very difficult to see the dock and trying to make the turns w/o mashing the blind side into the door or a concrete pole or another driver's nice shiny o/o bumper.

 

I am basically a rookie, but it is nice to see someone who designs these docks asking the actual drivers what would work, some of these places pretend that we drive 30 ft trailers and all have day cab cabovers or something. I would focus also on where exactly the truck enters the area, if it entes on the wall opposite the docks, than the driver actually has less to work with, near the front of the other docked trucks, and with enough room, they can line up for the actual maneuver, potentally you can set up an area where all the driver needs is a 45 or even a strait back, I'd put the shorter dock closer to the wall opposite the enterance.