Unique Yale rider pallet truck brings new levels of freedom, comfort and productivity

17th November 2015

Logistics BusinessUnique Yale rider pallet truck brings new levels of freedom, comfort and productivity

Combining the key benefits of platform and seated models, the Yale MPT series rider pallet truck gives operators the freedom to stand or lean, and the comfort of sitting for long transfers.

Its secret lies in a unique adaptive seat, as Matthew Wiacek, Yale’s Project Engineer explains.


“When loading, unloading or moving in small spaces, it’s useful to be able to stand up and shift position to get a better view – as platform pallet truck operators do. For travel over longer distances, sitting down is less tiring – but a conventional seat causes restriction and discomfort if the operator wants to stand for part of the job. We’ve been able to offer operators the best of both worlds with a seat that adjusts, at the touch of a button, to allow a choice of sitting, standing or an in-between leaning position.”

He adds, “The rider truck is compact, particularly suited for tight situations like a platform truck, but for transfer work the rider truck is superior in many different ways. In particular, its sideways operating position allows easy viewing with minimal strain, in both forward and reverse directions, as well as safe transport carrying the load with forks trailing. It also provides much better absorption of shocks, for example when crossing dock plates.”

Yale sees the new design as a major contribution to increasing operator productivity in applications involving a combination of, for example, lorry or trailer loading and unloading, cross-docking, transport over longer distances and extended or multi-shift work cycles.

The manufacturer stresses that the innovative seat system is just one of many ergonomic features which will help operators do a better job. A large opening and low step height make regular on-off access easy and the MPT has a stable, wrap-around structure that gives a real sense of security. The floor space is exceptionally large and a solid grab handle helps the operator in controlling his or her movements.

The chassis is compact with a width of 798 mm, which is small enough for convenient handling of Europallets. Together with precise electronic fly-by-wire steering and clear views, this compact footprint makes the truck highly manoeuvrable. A large, easily operated butterfly switch gives control of direction and speed. The horn, lift and lower buttons are conveniently located around the hand grip for fingertip operation.

For powerful but energy-efficient and safe performance, a new-generation Combi MOSFET controller regulates the traction and pump motors. It provides stepless, progressive speed control and automatic cornering speed reduction. In addition to regenerative and auto-park braking, the truck has anti-rollback start-up for extra safety on inclines.

On top of a generous standard specification, the two models – MP20T at 2 tonnes and MP25T at 2.5 tonnes – come with a comprehensive range of specialised options including rapid battery-changing equipment.

For more information, visit www.yale.com to find the contact details for your nearest dealer.