GlossaryEN1 min readUpdated: Jun 22, 2026
semi-trailer
Transport operators and freight forwarders use the term semi-trailer for a multi-axle trailer without its own front axle, whose forward section rests on and is supported by the fifth-wheel coupling of a tractor unit.
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Source: https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sattelauflieger
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Transport operators and freight forwarders use the term semi-trailer for a multi-axle trailer without its own front axle, whose forward section rests on and is supported by the fifth-wheel coupling of a tractor unit. Together, tractor and semi-trailer form an articulated lorry—the dominant vehicle type in European long-haul road freight. Because the semi-trailer can be uncoupled and staged at a terminal while the tractor immediately takes on another unit, asset utilization is significantly higher than with rigid trucks. Standard curtainsider semi-trailers in Europe offer a loading length of approximately 13.6 metres and accommodate around 33 euro-pallets. Not to be confused with a drawbar trailer, which has its own front axle and is towed rather than supported by the tractor.
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