If you’ve ever seen a forklift riding on the back of an HGV trailer and wondered what on earth it is, there’s a good chance you’ve seen a Moffett.
Moffett forklifts are a familiar sight in the building and construction industry, particularly on HGVs delivering bricks, blocks, timber and other building materials. Having a forklift with you means you can often unload your own delivery when you arrive on site, rather than relying on the customer to have unloading equipment available.
As an HGV driver who uses a Moffett for building site deliveries, I wanted to explain exactly what a Moffett forklift is, why we carry them on the back of our trailers and what it’s actually like using one as part of the job.
What Is a Moffett Forklift?
A Moffett is a truck-mounted forklift designed to be carried on the back of a lorry or trailer. Unlike a standard warehouse forklift, a Moffett can travel with the delivery vehicle and then be unloaded at the delivery site, giving the driver the ability to move materials without needing a forklift to be provided by the customer.
They are particularly useful for delivering building materials because many construction sites don’t have their own forklift available. A Moffett allows the HGV driver to unload materials such as bricks, blocks, paving and timber directly from the trailer and move them to the required location on site.
The Moffett I use is mounted at the rear of my trailer and comes with me on my deliveries. Once I’m on site and have found a suitable area to unload, I can take the forklift off the trailer and use it to unload the materials I’m carrying.
Why Do HGVs Carry Moffetts?
One of the biggest advantages of carrying a Moffett is being able to unload your own delivery. When you’re delivering building materials, you can’t always rely on the customer or building site to have suitable unloading equipment available.
With a Moffett on the back of the trailer, the HGV driver has much more flexibility. Once the forklift has been safely removed from the trailer, it can be used to unload materials and move them across the site to where they’re needed.
This is particularly useful on building sites, new housing developments and other locations where access can be limited or where there isn’t already a forklift available. It can save time and makes the delivery process much more flexible.
For me, that’s one of the biggest benefits of the job. I’m not just arriving with a load and hoping someone is there to unload it. With the Moffett, I can take responsibility for unloading the materials myself and get the delivery where it needs to go.
How Does a Moffett Get On and Off the Trailer?
One of the things that makes a Moffett different from a normal forklift is the way it is designed to travel with the HGV. When it’s not being used, the forklift is secured at the rear of the trailer, keeping it with the delivery vehicle until it’s needed.
When I arrive at a delivery, I first need to find a suitable and safe place to position the HGV before unloading the Moffett. The available space and ground conditions can make a big difference, particularly when you’re delivering to busy building sites or locations with restricted access.
Once I’m happy that the area is suitable, I can take the Moffett off the rear of the trailer and get it ready for the delivery. From there, I use it to unload the materials from the trailer and move them to where they need to go.
This is something that becomes much easier with experience. Every site is different, and you have to think about where you’re going to position the HGV, where the materials need to go and whether the ground is suitable for the Moffett. It’s not simply a case of turning up and driving the forklift off the back.
What Can You Deliver With a Moffett?
A Moffett is particularly useful when transporting materials that need to be unloaded at locations without their own forklift. They’re commonly used alongside HGV deliveries of building and construction materials.
Depending on the type of delivery, a Moffett can be used to unload products such as bricks, blocks, paving materials, timber and other palletised building supplies. Having the forklift travelling with the load means the driver can unload the materials rather than having to rely on equipment already being available at the delivery site.
A big part of my work involves delivering building materials, so having a Moffett on the back of the trailer is a huge part of getting the job done. It means I can arrive at a site, assess where the delivery needs to go and then use the Moffett to move the materials into position.
Of course, every delivery is different. Some sites are straightforward, while others can involve tight access, uneven ground, parked vehicles or very little room to manoeuvre. That’s where experience becomes just as important as the equipment itself.
Why Are Moffetts So Useful for HGV Drivers?
A Moffett gives an HGV driver much more independence when making building material deliveries. Instead of arriving at a site and relying on someone else to provide unloading equipment, the driver can bring the equipment needed to complete the delivery.
This can be particularly important on building sites, housing developments and smaller construction projects where access can be restricted or where there isn’t a forklift already available.
Another major advantage is flexibility. A Moffett can be driven away from the HGV and used to place materials much closer to where they are actually needed. This can save time and make the delivery process much more efficient.
For an HGV driver, it also means being able to deal with a wider range of delivery locations. Every site is different, and being able to unload your own materials can make a big difference when conditions aren’t straightforward.
In my experience, using a Moffett is a big part of carrying out building site deliveries safely and efficiently. It’s not just a forklift carried on the back of the trailer – it’s an important piece of equipment that allows the whole delivery operation to work.
What Are the Benefits of Using a Moffett?
One of the biggest benefits of using a Moffett forklift is that it gives the HGV driver much greater control over the delivery. The forklift travels with the load, meaning the driver isn’t dependent on the customer having suitable unloading equipment available.
For building material deliveries, this can make a huge difference. Materials can be unloaded from the trailer and transported directly to the required location on site, rather than simply being left beside the HGV.
A Moffett can also be particularly useful when delivering to new housing developments, construction sites and other locations where access can be difficult. Being able to manoeuvre the forklift away from the HGV gives the driver more options when positioning materials.
There are also time-saving benefits. If the site is suitable and the delivery can be completed efficiently, having your own forklift means there is less waiting around for someone else to unload the vehicle.
However, using a Moffett also comes with responsibility. The driver needs to consider the ground conditions, available space, overhead obstacles, other vehicles and people working around the delivery area before operating the machine.
That’s why Moffett training and experience are so important. It’s not simply about knowing how to drive a forklift, it’s about being able to assess the delivery location and operate the equipment safely.
What Is It Like Using a Moffett as an HGV Driver?
Using a Moffett is a big part of my working life as an HGV driver, particularly when I’m carrying out building site deliveries.
Every delivery can be different. Some sites have plenty of space and straightforward access, while others can involve narrow entrances, uneven ground, parked vehicles and limited room to manoeuvre.
Before using the Moffett, I need to assess the site and make sure the area is suitable for the machine and the delivery. Once everything is safe, the Moffett allows me to unload the materials and position them where the customer needs them.
It’s one of those parts of HGV driving that you probably don’t see when you simply see a truck travelling down the road. There’s much more involved than driving from A to B.
Learning to use a Moffett has also given me a better understanding of building site deliveries and the responsibility that comes with operating equipment around other people, vehicles and materials.
For more information on lift truck safety and operator training, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) provides guidance for people who use lift trucks in the workplace.
For me, that’s what makes the job interesting. No two deliveries are exactly the same, and you have to think about the job in front of you and adapt to the conditions on site.
Want to see my first Moffett delivery in action?
I filmed my first building site delivery using a Moffett, so you can see what the job actually involves from my perspective.
Hopefully this has answered some of the questions you might have about Moffett forklifts and why they’re used on HGVs.
I’m still at the beginning of my journey with the Moffett, having only recently completed my training and started using one on real deliveries. I’m sure I’ll learn plenty more as I gain experience, and I’ll be sharing that journey here on Trucker Matt UK.
If you’re interested in seeing what life is really like as a UK HGV driver, including building site deliveries, Moffett work, truck shows and life on the road, check out my other videos and follow along with the journey.
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Thanks for reading, and I’ll see you out on the road! 🚛
