What is a Lift Gate for a truck?

What is a Lift gate and why would we need to order one?

Our customers usually order a Lift gate at (pick up or at The Delivery) to make pick up or delivery easy without a Loading Dock.  If you are unable to load your freight into our Carriers Van.

Do we have to order a Lift gate in advance?

It is probably easier (though not always realistic we know how often this is last minute for you) to plan and find out if BOTH your Shipper location and your Consignee Locations are commercial with docks or Forklifts on site. If they do, this will make your LTL Freight shipping both more economical and more economical to accomplish. Include in your Quote request to The Shipping Emporium then if you do or do not need a Lift gate to come on the truck that we send for either your shipper location or your destination.

What Is a Liftgate?

Also known as a lift, this is a mechanical device that can be installed on the truck’s rear to enable the handling of goods. It either can move cargo from the pavement to the truck or from the truck bed to the pavement.

If you Have a Forklift, Do you also need A Lift Gate? Lift gates only needed by Shippers and Consignees that DO NOT have a forklift or shipping dock available. With Loading docks, the truck that we will be sending to you can be backed up to the platform and unloaded since it does not need to be adjusted to the ground.

Is Having a Loading dock or a Forklift on Hand Required?


Our clients freight shipments are delivered from one loading dock to another, and the freight is offloaded directly from the truck with a pallet jack or a Loading Dock.  But for pick-up or delivery locations without either a dock or forklift – that is specially where you need to order a liftgate. As long as your pallets are not too heavy, the average carrier’s Lift gate is for 2500 pounds or less. And the length of the pallet must not be more than 96 inches.

Feel Free to call The Shipping Emporium at 703 304 8170 or  434 990 4144 before your next shipment to make sure that you are all set for a smooth pick up and delivery without any surprises or confusion about a Lift gate or if you have to have one.