LKW

The abbreviation LKW/LKWS comes from the German word Lastkraftwagen, which means "truck" in Polish, and "truck" in English. This is an extremely important term in the broadly defined transport and forwarding industry because it is used to describe all trucks intended for the transport of various types of goods. These models are equipped with a body suitable for transported products, located behind the driver's cab. Trucks are heavy-duty rigid-frame vehicles that are mostly used for utility and commercial purposes. It is important to know that trucks are structurally designed in a suitable manner to ensure safe transportation of cargo and passengers ranging from 4 to 9 including the driver.

General characteristics of trucks

LKWs, or so-called trucks, can have certain dimensions that are generally allowed by law. Among them, it is worth mentioning the length of the vehicle itself not exceeding 12 meters, an articulated vehicle 16.5 meters, and a composite unit 18.75 meters. In addition, it is important to note that the width of the vehicle must not exceed 2.55 meters, and the height 4 meters.  

It is also worth mentioning the body types of LKW, as it can be distinguished among them the box body, in which there is an open cargo box, as well as the self-unloader, designed to carry loose loads with a tilting cargo box. In addition, there is also a van, which is an enclosed cargo box, and trucks with specialized bodies, which are used to transport specific cargoes with a properly adapted structure. These include concrete, cars, or animals.

LKW trucks are commonly powered by high-powered compression-ignition engines due to the use of multiple cylinders and large displacement. Their advantages include high mechanical efficiency, lower fuel requirements, and unmatched durability and reliability. The disadvantages of this type of engine are complex design, much higher operating costs in case of failure, and difficult start-up during cold weather.