lpg bobtail truck

LPG Bobtail truck definition

LPG (propane) has many uses for everyday life but is most commonly used to heat residential homes and businesses as well as fuelling private vehicles and fleets.

LPG is transported under pressure by transport trucks and local delivery trucks better known as bobtails.

An LPG (propane) bobtail is a specialized bulk delivery vehicle custom built by manufacturers to hold from approximately 1000 to 5000 gallons of LPG. Built in a variety of sizes, a bobtail may contain different equipment and systems depending on when it was constructed and how it will be used. The bobtail is refilled at a bulk storage plant located at many different sites.

Besides bobtails there are also other types of LPG containers such as LPG Semi-Trailers and stationary storage tanks

Certifications

What certifications do we own?

We have professional design and manufacturing qualifications of Chinese A2, A3, C2, SAD and American ASME U/ U2

Main functions

Key Features

The main material is made of low-alloy steel plates for containers, valve accessories are selected from internationally renowned brands, professional design and manufacturing team, and perfect quality assurance system. Conventional volumes are 5m³, 10m³, 15m³, 26m³, which can be customized according to customer needs. In addition, it can be equipped with a vehicle-mounted central control system + nine safety protection systems + car-tank reading device according to customer needs, and can provide operating platform construction services according to customer needs to realize remote information monitoring and vertex distribution algorithm support.

What is the purpose of the product?

This product is a special tank vehicle for storage and transportation of liquefied petroleum gas, equipped with special safety accessories, loading and unloading accessories, and independently capable of unloading liquid to a special storage tank.

What benefits will you get from product?

High cost performance, quality assurance, high responsibility and perfect after-sales service system.

Use

Where can this product be used?

This product can be suitable for road transportation between areas with an ambient temperature of -40℃~50℃, and it is suitable for civilian or commercial LPG distribution modes in villages, schools, residential areas and other places.

Who might use this product?

LPG gas companies or operating companies are potential customers of this product.

Use range

Suitable for mixed liquefied petroleum gas, propane, commercial propane or commercial propane butane mixture medium with saturated vapor pressure ≤1.60MPa at 50℃

Some common uses of the product?

Fixed-point distribution or temporary storage

Advantages

Primary advantages

Safe and reliable, mobile and flexible.

Why should I buy this product?

Forty years of professional design and manufacturing experience, the first market share in China for thirty-six consecutive years, reliable quality and service guarantee.

What makes this product different to competitor products?

High cost performance, quality assurance, high responsibility and perfect after-sales service system.

Common sizes for bobtail trucks include

Length: Typically between 6 meters (20 feet) and 9 meters (30 feet) to accommodate turning and parking needs on urban roads.

Width: Generally between 2.4 meters (8 feet) and 2.6 meters (8.5 feet), it meets road traffic standards and can accommodate standard cargo dimensions.

Height: Typically, it is between 3.2 meters (10.5 feet) and 4 meters (13 feet) to ensure the ability to pass underpasses and bridges while providing adequate cargo space.

These dimensions meet the needs of short-tail trucks for transport on urban and urban roads while also taking into account the balance between energy efficiency and cargo capacity.

Our service

Our Policy

HONGTU has the design & fabrication capacity of LPG stationary storage tanks including above-ground tanks, underground tanks and mounded tanks etc. All kinds of tanks could be customized according to the customers' requirements.

Unique deliveries

EXW/FOB/CFR/CIF/DAP

Shipped by ro-ro or bulk ship

Warranty information

One year warranty after delivery

Payment method

What payment method do we have?

T/T, L/C

Export cases

Main markets

Asia, Southeast Asia, Africa, South America, North America

Components

Package included

Nude Packing

Accessories or Parts

N/A

FAQ

A bobtail truck refers to a semi-truck that doesn’t have a trailer attached to it. The term “bobtail” is said to have originated from a cat breed that features short tails. Bobtail trucks should not be confused with deadhead trucks, which have trailers attached to them but carry no freight.

In trucking, you may often hear the term bobtail or bobtailing.

If you wonder what a bobtail truck is, I’ve got you covered. 

Below, I’ll explain what is the meaning of a bobtail truck and what bobtailing is.

Bobtail Truck Definition

Two kinds of trucks carry the moniker "bobtail." Both are short, like the tail on a bobcat. One is a semi tractor without a trailer. The other is a straight truck, in which all of the truck's axles are attached to the same chassis. Straight trucks that transport propane gas are also known as bobtails.

What does bobtail mean in trucking?

If you understand why trucks are called tractor-trailers then it’s easy to understand what a bobtail is.

A bobtail is the part of the tractor-trailer that holds the engine, which also can roll with or without a trailer attached to it.

For example, a truck driver may drop off a semi-trailer and pick up a different semi-trailer at another place.

In this case, the process where a semi-truck is driving without a semi-trailer attached to it is called bobtailing.

A powerful engine of the bobtail can haul different cargo types.

There are also different semi-truck brands that manufacture these bobtail trucks. 

Type

Semi Truck or Running Bobtail Truck

Earlier, we have explained that a bobtail truck is a semi-truck that does not have any cargo attached to it. So, obviously, a Running Bobtail Truck is a small-size semi-truck without a trailer.

When we say semi-truck, it consists of two components. These include the tractor unit and the trailer. A fifth-wheel-type hitch connects the tractor unit with the trailer.

Small Bobtail Truck

Small- to medium-size semi-trucks typically have their axles attached to the same chassis. If these trucks travel without any trailer attached, they are referred to as Small Bobtail Trucks.

The applications of these trucks are generally limited to light- or medium-weighted cargos. These trucks are typically used for bakery product transportation, egg transportation, or dump carrying.

Straight Propane Truck

Small semi-trucks can be easily converted to propane trucks. Tanks can be fitted on the rear bed truck. Rounded shape tanks allow the contents to maintain sufficient pressure and temperature while in transit. These tanks have a storage capacity of roughly 5,000 gallons.

Propane trucks are highly essential when transporting propane or gasoline to fuel stations and automotive dealers.

Is bobtailing dangerous? 

It can be. And, because it creates driving conditions that are very different from what a loaded semi-truck experience, it can cause drivers to make errors that lead to accidents. Since semi-trucks are larger and heavier than passenger cars, anytime they’re involved in an accident, the potential for serious injuries or worse is very high.