What is a rigid truck?
A rigid has its cab, engine and body on one chassis. It can’t bend in the middle. Rigids range from 7.5 tonnes up to 32-tonne eight-wheelers, and include most specialist trucks: tippers, grabs, mixers, skip loaders, refuse trucks and box lorries.
What is a tractor unit?
A tractor unit is the front part of an articulated lorry (an artic). It has the cab and engine and a fifth-wheel coupling that connects to a semi-trailer. Unhitch the trailer and the unit can pull another one. Artics in the UK can run at up to 44 tonnes gross on six axles.
Which licence do you need?
| Licence | What it covers |
|---|---|
| C1 | Vehicles from 3.5 to 7.5 tonnes |
| C (Class 2) | Rigid lorries over 3.5 tonnes |
| C+E (Class 1) | Artics and rigids pulling heavy trailers |
What each is good for
Rigids suit local and regional work, tight sites and specialist jobs where the body is part of the truck. Tractor units suit long-distance haulage and operations where trailers are dropped and swapped, so the unit keeps earning while trailers are loaded.
How it affects resale
- Rigids are priced on the chassis and the body together. A good body or valuable equipment can add a lot.
- Tractor units are priced mostly on make, power, cab, gearbox and mileage. Units cover big distances, so high mileage is normal.
- Both are affected by the Euro standard. Older units and rigids are often wanted for export.