ADR tractor unit: documents, equipment and secondary-market prices

ADR (from the French Accord Dangereouses Route) is the set of rules under which dangerous goods are transported by road in Europe. Accordingly, an ADR tractor unit is a truck prepared to work with fuel, chemicals, gases and other cargo that is subject to separate equipment and documentation requirements. Because of this, when buying such a tractor it's important to look not only at the price and technical condition, but also at the type of ADR preparation and how well it fits your future work. So what should your tractor unit have for hauling dangerous goods?

What an ADR tractor unit has

Because of the increased danger of the cargo, ADR tractor units have additional safety features. Factory ADR adaptations usually include reinforced wiring protection, sealed connections and an emergency power cut-off switch. A 15-pin ADR connection to the trailer is also used, which reduces the risk of sparks. A separate mount for ADR plates is installed – the signs that indicate the type of cargo being carried – along with extra fire extinguisher brackets. Volvo's technical fact sheet also states that "the total capacity of the fire extinguishers must be at least 12 kg of dry powder or equivalent."

Before buying an ADR tractor unit, it's especially worth taking into account the type of future transport. The technical documents and ADR rules use categories such as:

• AT – dangerous goods in tanks;
• FL – fuel and other flammable liquids/gases;
• EX/II, EX/III – for explosives;

Buying a truck: which documents to check requires extra attention if it's an ADR tractor unit. An incomplete or incorrectly issued certificate of approval for this type of transport can make it impossible for the tractor to work effectively afterward.

The secondary market

On the secondary market, ADR tractor units usually cost more than regular ones of the same year. The approval and special equipment add to the value, and the price difference can also depend on the type of ADR preparation. On AUTO.RIA, older ADR versions start at around $15,000, while fresher ones can go up to $35,000–40,000 and higher. That's why in this segment it's important to buy a tractor unit not just based on price, but also based on how well its preparation matches your specific type of transport.

In the tirkomis catalog, tractor units with ADR preparation, or ones that could be considered for such tasks, are worth looking for among the available listings. Prices start at around $10,500 and go up to $26,000+ depending on year, mileage, spec and the level of preparation. If the right ADR tractor unit isn't available right now, it makes sense to leave a request for a search. For the secondary market this is especially useful: a used tractor unit isn't always a bad option if the truck is properly checked and matched to the job.