How Heavy Is a Prime Mover

Prime Movers and Rigid Trucks are vital to global commerce, responsible for transporting a significant portion of goods across highways.

Understanding the weight of a truck is crucial for reasons of safety, regulation compliance, and efficient operation.

In this article, we will explore the various components of Prime Mover weight, including empty weight, loaded weight, and factors that influence these measurements.

Key Components of Truck Weight

  1. Curb Weight (Empty Weight): This is the weight of the truck without any cargo or passengers but includes the weight of fuel and other fluids necessary for operation. The curb weight of a Prime Mover truck typically ranges from about 15,000 to 25,000 pounds (6,800 to 11,300 kilograms), depending on the make, model, and specifications of the truck.
  2. Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW): The GVW includes the truck’s curb weight plus the weight of passengers, cargo, and any additional equipment. This is the total weight of the truck when fully loaded.
  3. Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR): This is the maximum safe operating weight of a truck as specified by the manufacturer, including the weight of the vehicle itself, fuel, passengers, cargo, and trailer. The GVWR is a critical factor for safety and legal compliance, as exceeding this weight can lead to fines and increased risk of accidents.
  4. Gross Combination Weight Rating (GCWR): This number includes the total weight of the truck, trailer, cargo, and passengers. For most Prime Mover trucks, the GCWR can range from about 80,000 pounds (36,287 kilograms) in many regions to as high as 129,000 pounds (58,513 kilograms) under certain permits and conditions.

Factors Influencing Prime Mover and Rigid Truck Weight

  • Truck Configuration: The design and structure of the truck play a significant role. For instance, trucks with more axles can support more weight.
  • Material Used: The materials used in construction, such as aluminum or steel, impact the truck’s weight. Aluminum tends to be lighter, which can allow for heavier loads under the same GVWR.
  • Engine Size and Type: Larger engines and those designed for specific types of fuel can affect the weight of the truck.
  • Additional Features: Features like sleeper cabs, dual fuel tanks, and advanced safety systems can add to the curb weight of the truck.

Regulations and Compliance

In most countries, including the United States and Australia, the weight of Prime Movers / Semi trucks is strictly regulated to prevent damage to roads and bridges and to ensure road safety.

Truck drivers and companies must adhere to these regulations, and trucks are often weighed at checkpoints along major routes to ensure compliance.

Conclusion

The weight of a Prime Mover or Rigis Truck is an essential factor in the logistics and transportation industry, affecting everything from fuel efficiency and road safety to regulatory compliance and operational costs.

Whether you’re a driver, a logistics manager, or a vehicle manufacturer, understanding these weight dynamics is crucial for the successful and legal operation of transportation services.

For those in the industry looking to expand fleet or ensure their vehicles meet regulatory standards, AGM Finance provides tailored financial solutions to help purchase or upgrade trucks and related equipment.

With expert knowledge in truck and equipment financing, AGM Finance can assist in making informed decisions that align with business needs and regulatory requirements, ensuring your fleet operates efficiently and within legal weight limits.

Low Doc Finance

Low document (Low Doc) finance, is an excellent option for the self-employed.

Because the reported earnings of a business aren’t always the best reflection of success..

Low doc finance provides an opportunity for businesses to secure finance based on self-declared and no-declared income assessments and assets, instead of reported income.

Across Australia, there are more than 30 different lenders who provide low doc loans. With such a vast product range, the options can become complicated, as each lender has different criteria and preferences, and rates can vary from 4% to 16%.

Fundamentally, there are three or four standard requirements all lenders want from a potential low doc client:

  • A GST registered ABN that has been active for two years or more;
  • Asset backing in form of property.
  • Or, in the absence of property, a 20% deposit is required;
  • “A” credit rating

What Can AGM Finance Do For Your Business?

At AGM Finance, we recognise that low doc finance really does help our clients to grow their businesses, so we work hard to save you both time and money.

As the leading truck finance broker in Australia, our buying capacity gives us access to lower rates through more lenders than a personal application can access.

Understanding that time is money, and opportunities can often require speedy responses, we endeavour to provide our clients with low doc finance results in only 24 hours.

Most personal applicants would need to wait up to two weeks if applying privately through a major lender.

Queensland tip truck driver, Lionel Murphy, was one such client who needed to secure low doc finance quickly and easily, to grow his business.

We had already assisted Lionel to purchase his first truck, a 2010 Mercedes Benz Actros tipper truck, so we knew his personal and business history.

When he received the opportunity to expand his business 18-months ago, Lionel came back to AGM for assistance.

At this stage, his business had been in operation for three-and-a-half years.

He was registered as a GST trader, and he had consistently paid his loan repayments on time, while also managing his mortgage.

His A-Class credit rating, proven business profitability, and assets made him an ideal candidate to secure a low doc loan. We were confident we could help.

Acting quickly, as Lionel already had his eye on a 2012 Mercedes Benz Actros tipper, we worked to secure Lionel a $150,000 loan at the low rate of only 4.85%.

With the second truck in his fleet, Lionel could employ a driver and double his income.

Expand Your Existing Business

If you, like Lionel, have the opportunity to expand your existing business, low doc finance could be the opportunity you need. Contact our team for more information on 1300 664 687 today.

Quick Reference Truck Financing Calculator

If you are looking for a truck loan you’ve come to the right place.

When it comes to truck financing it pays to come to the experts in Truck Loans.

Check out Our Quick Reference Truck Financing Calculator, which is a handy tool we have available to you can use to give you an indication of how much you may be able to borrow for your truck loan.

Our Quick Reference Calculator allows you to create different loan scenarios; that is, how much you can borrow, how much your loan repayments will be, and over what repayment terms, all based on whatever loan amount you enter into it.

Simply enter some different figures and have a play around with these figures to create different results of loan amounts, loan interest rates, loan repayments and loan terms.

This will give you a starting point, a reasonable basis if you like, about how much you can borrow for your truck loan and what your loan repayments will likely cost you on a monthly basis.

So you are able to work out the best affordable option for you based on your own financial situation.

We understand that everyone’s financial situation is different from the next person so our Quick Reference Truck Financing Calculator should be treated as a guideline or general indication of your borrowing power only.

Individualised Advice About How Much to Borrow

The most appropriate loan structure and type of truck finance that will best suit you and your business is essential.

Once you have an idea how much you are ready to borrow you should contact us to obtain more definite quotes, and for different types of loans available to you for truck financing.

Your actual amount you can borrow will depend on your own specific financial situation and your ability to provide proof of these financial details, such as current income and also projected income produced as a result of your truck purchase.

Current financial commitments and your ability to meet and maintain future loan repayments over the term of your truck loan.

If you want the best advice, best truck loan structure, most competitive truck loan interest rates, loan terms and conditions then speak to the Truck Financing Experts.

Final Words

We are here to help you get the best truck loan deal and that’s guaranteed.

Come to us for fast and efficient truck financing. We are simply the best for all your truck financing needs.

We have the experience and that counts when it comes to obtaining specialised finance that is truck loans.

Not all truck financing lenders are the same, and many view the same truck loan application differently than the next.

That’s why we have a number of reputable truck loan lenders to choose from so we can get you the best deal.

So enter your desired truck loan details into our Quick Reference Truck Financing Calculator now, get a quote, and we will find the best deal for you. Truck loans are our speciality.