In the U.S., articulated vehicle is used to refer to vehicles which have a pivoting joint in their construction which is permanent or semi-permanent, allowing the vehicle to turn more sharply. There are many kinds of articulated vehicles, from heavy equipment to buses and trains. Steam locomotives were sometimes articulated in that the driving wheels could pivot around turns.

A vehicle towing a trailer could potentially be described as an articulated vehicle (the word articulated comes from the Latin articulus : small joint). In the U.K., the term articulated lorry refers to the combination of a tractor and a semi-trailer. In the U.S., this is called a "tractor-trailer" or "semi-truck" and would not necessarily be called articulated.

Type of vehicles

Buses

Buses are articulated to allow for a much longer bus which can still navigate with the turning radius of a normal bus.

Heavy equipment

Front loaders, graders, dump trucks and other vehicles have been made with articulated joints to greatly reduce their turning radius.

Trains

Many train cars are made with articulated connections, sharing a common wheel truck between two cars. This reduces costs, weight, vibration and noise.

Trams and Light Rail Vehicles have been made with articulated designs since the 1950s. This was instead of using trailers or multiple units, which had been attempted in the early 1900s. The articulated design allows passengers (and fare inspectors) to move the entire length of the vehicle.

Trucks

In the U.K., semi-trailers on trucks are referred to as "articulated lorries."

Automotive technologies | Commercial item transport and distribution | Vehicles | Articulated vehicles