Airfield Vehicle Service Road Design and Operations (2025)
Chapter: Appendix C: Vehicles
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APPENDIX C
Suggested Citation:
"Appendix C: Vehicles." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2025. Airfield Vehicle Service Road Design and Operations. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.
doi: 10.17226/28811.
APPENDIX C
Vehicles
The following table identifies several airport vehicles that typically operate at airports on VSRs, including a description, the typical maximum length and width, center turn radius, and maximum weight for select vehicles. The table identifies vehicles critical to VSR planning and excludes some ground support equipment that typically remains on aircraft aprons. The types, models, sizes, and weights of vehicles that operate on VSRs can vary greatly. Planners and designers should research the specifications of vehicle models operating at the airport.
| Vehicle | Description | Max Width (feet) | Max Length (feet) | Max Center Turn Radius (feet) | Max Weight (pounds) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aircraft Deicing Truck | Vehicles with maneuverable vertical booms that provide the ability to spray deicing solution on all critical parts of an aircraft. | 11 | 41 | 34 | 55,000 |
| Aircraft Tractor | Assist with moving aircraft away from a stand, between facilities, or when it cannot move with its engine power. These vehicles typically use tow bars to connect the tractor to the aircraft. | 12 | 32 | 28 | |
| Towbarless Towing Vehicles | Assist with moving aircraft away from a stand, between facilities, or when it cannot move with its engine power. These vehicles lift the aircraft nose wheel off the ground before moving. | 16 | 33 | 38 | 70,000 |
| ARFF Vehicles | Aircraft rescue and firefighting vehicles carry larger water tanks to put out fires across the airfield. | 13 | 52 | 60 | 124,000 |
| Baggage/Cargo Tractor | Apron equipment to move baggage or cargo carts between aircraft and baggage/cargo processing facilities. | 7 | 13 | 11 | |
| Boarding Stairs | Vehicles with stairs or escalators to load/unload passengers between the aircraft and the ground when passenger loading bridges are not used. | 11 | 45 | 22 |
Suggested Citation:
"Appendix C: Vehicles." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2025. Airfield Vehicle Service Road Design and Operations. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.
doi: 10.17226/28811.
| Vehicle | Description | Max Width (feet) | Max Length (feet) | Max Center Turn Radius (feet) | Max Weight (pounds) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cabin Service/Catering Truck | Used to service passenger aircraft cabins, including cleaning the cabin environment, emptying and restocking the onboard kitchens, and delivering goods or supplies to aircraft. | 10 | 34 | 26 | |
| Cargo Loader | Includes tractors, forklift trucks, and cargo platforms. | 16 | 50 | 48 | |
| Disabled Passenger Lift Vehicle | Special airport equipment designed to assist disabled passengers on and off aircraft when a passenger loading bridge is not used. | 8 | 30 | 17 | |
| Fuel Truck | Specially designed trucks with a fuel tank to safely transport fuel to and from aircraft. | 11 | 50 | 63 | 150,000 |
| Glycol Recovery Vehicle | Vehicle used to vacuum spent deicing fluid from an apron or deicing pad. | 9 | 22 | 22 | |
| Lavatory Servicing Vehicle | Used to empty waste from lavatories and refill the flush/fill tanks onboard aircraft. | 9 | 23 | 22 | |
| Mobile Lounge | Specialized vehicles designed to transport passengers to and from the terminal building and aircraft. | 16 | 60 | 52 | |
| Passenger Bus | Used to transport people to and from or within an airport. | 11 | 60 | 46 | |
| Pavement Marking and Rubber Removal Vehicle | Truck utilizing high-pressure water and vacuum system to remove pavement markings and rubber from runways. | 10 | 32 | 28 | |
| Potable Water Vehicles | Used by airlines and ground support providers to transfer potable water from an approved watering point to an aircraft. | 10 | 28 | 22 | |
| Snow Removal Vehicles | Trucks, tractors, loaders, and other vehicles equipped with snowplows, sweepers, or blower attachments. | 20 | 72 | 50 | |
| Sweepers | Vehicle for sweeping and vacuuming debris from roadways. | 10 | 23 | 23 | |
| Semi-Truck | A truck consisting of a tractor and trailer used to deliver goods. | 9 | 75 | 55 | 80,000 |
Suggested Citation:
"Appendix C: Vehicles." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2025. Airfield Vehicle Service Road Design and Operations. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.
doi: 10.17226/28811.
This page intentionally left blank.
Suggested Citation:
"Appendix C: Vehicles." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2025. Airfield Vehicle Service Road Design and Operations. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.
doi: 10.17226/28811.
This page intentionally left blank.
Suggested Citation:
"Appendix C: Vehicles." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2025. Airfield Vehicle Service Road Design and Operations. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.
doi: 10.17226/28811.
Abbreviations and acronyms used without definitions in TRB publications:
| A4A | Airlines for America |
| AAAE | American Association of Airport Executives |
| AASHO | American Association of State Highway Officials |
| AASHTO | American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials |
| ACI–NA | Airports Council International–North America |
| ACRP | Airport Cooperative Research Program |
| ADA | Americans with Disabilities Act |
| APTA | American Public Transportation Association |
| ASCE | American Society of Civil Engineers |
| ASME | American Society of Mechanical Engineers |
| ASTM | American Society for Testing and Materials |
| ATA | American Trucking Associations |
| CTAA | Community Transportation Association of America |
| CTBSSP | Commercial Truck and Bus Safety Synthesis Program |
| DHS | Department of Homeland Security |
| DOE | Department of Energy |
| EPA | Environmental Protection Agency |
| FAA | Federal Aviation Administration |
| FAST | Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act (2015) |
| FHWA | Federal Highway Administration |
| FMCSA | Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration |
| FRA | Federal Railroad Administration |
| FTA | Federal Transit Administration |
| GHSA | Governors Highway Safety Association |
| HMCRP | Hazardous Materials Cooperative Research Program |
| IEEE | Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers |
| ISTEA | Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991 |
| ITE | Institute of Transportation Engineers |
| MAP-21 | Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (2012) |
| NASA | National Aeronautics and Space Administration |
| NASAO | National Association of State Aviation Officials |
| NCFRP | National Cooperative Freight Research Program |
| NCHRP | National Cooperative Highway Research Program |
| NHTSA | National Highway Traffic Safety Administration |
| NTSB | National Transportation Safety Board |
| PHMSA | Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration |
| RITA | Research and Innovative Technology Administration |
| SAE | Society of Automotive Engineers |
| SAFETEA-LU | Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (2005) |
| TCRP | Transit Cooperative Research Program |
| TEA-21 | Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (1998) |
| TRB | Transportation Research Board |
| TSA | Transportation Security Administration |
| U.S. DOT | United States Department of Transportation |
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