If you’ve ever watched a commercial aircraft taxi from the gate to takeoff, or sit on the tarmac while a ground support team works around the clock, you might not have stopped to think about the heavy-duty machinery pulling, lifting, and moving those critical operations forward. For years, most airport ground support equipment (GSE) has relied on rubber tire chassis to get the job done—they’re smooth, easy to maneuver on paved runways and taxiways, and widely available. But as someone who’s spent the last decade designing, manufacturing, and delivering steel track chassis for industrial applications, I get asked this question all the time: Can a steel track chassis work for airport ground support equipment? The short answer is a resounding yes—and in many cases, it’s a better solution than the rubber tire alternatives that have dominated the space for decades. Let me break this down, from the real-world challenges airport GSE teams face to the science behind how our steel track chassis solve those problems, and why more operations are starting to make the switch. Steel Track Chassis
First, let’s set the stage. Airports are unforgiving environments, even when they look like perfectly paved expanses from a terminal window. Dig a little deeper, and you’ll find surfaces that are more complex than you think: taxiways and aprisons get worn down by thousands of aircraft landings, develop potholes and uneven patches, and in winter, get covered in ice, snow, and de-icing fluids that make even the grippiest rubber tires slip. Then there’s the hidden work areas: behind the gates, where GSE is stored, it’s often on packed gravel, uneven concrete, and temporary access roads that don’t get the same level of maintenance as the main runways. Rubber tires, while versatile, have limits here. They sink into soft ground, lose traction on slippery surfaces, and can suffer punctures from debris like broken concrete, metal shavings, or even small rocks that litter airport grounds.
I’ll never forget the time a client called me in a panic last winter. They ran a fleet of 12 luggage tugs at a major international airport in the Northeast US, and six of them were sidelined with flat tires and broken traction. De-icing salt and slush had turned the main service road into a skating rink, and every tug was slipping trying to pull a fully loaded luggage cart up a small hill. They’d tried adding tire chains, but the chains wore out in a week, damaged the concrete, and created more debris on the tarmac. When I sent a team to bring in two of our test steel track chassis units, the difference was night and day. Those tugs pulled 10,000-pound luggage carts up that same hill without spinning a track, no slip, no damage to the pavement. That’s when I really saw the gap in the market: steel track chassis aren’t just for construction sites and mining operations—they’re made for exactly these high-traction, variable-surface environments that airports deal with daily.
Let’s talk about the technical stuff, because it’s not just brute force that makes steel tracks work. Steel tracks distribute weight far more evenly than rubber tires, which is a game-changer for two big airport-specific issues: surface damage and load capacity. A standard rubber tire on a GSE tug has a contact patch with the ground that’s roughly the size of a laptop—one square foot, give or take. That means a 20,000-pound tug exerts about 20,000 pounds per square foot of pressure on the pavement. Steel tracks, on the other hand, spread that same 20,000 pounds over 10 to 15 square feet of track, depending on the size of the chassis. That cuts ground pressure by 75% or more. For airports, that’s huge because runways and aprison are expensive to maintain, and even small amounts of heavy pressure over time cause rutting, cracking, and potholes. The FAA actually has strict guidelines for ground pressure on airport surfaces for that exact reason—they want to keep maintenance costs down and extend the life of expensive pavement. Steel track chassis easily meet those guidelines, and in many cases, exceed them. That means less wear and tear on the tarmac, which saves airports millions in annual repair bills.
Then there’s traction, which is non-negotiable for airport GSE. On wet concrete, ice, gravel, or soft ground, rubber tires rely on friction to move and stop. When that friction is low—like in winter, or on uneven service roads—tires slip, which not only delays operations but also creates safety risks. A luggage tug that slips can crash into a aircraft wing, a baggage cart, or a ground crew member. Steel tracks, though, have steel grousers (the raised metal bars on the inside of the track) that dig into the surface, creating grip that doesn’t rely on friction. Our steel track chassis have specially designed grousers that are sized to avoid damaging concrete, while still providing enough traction to pull heavy loads up 15% grades, stop on wet surfaces, and navigate uneven ground. I’ve seen our chassis work in temperatures as low as -20 degrees Fahrenheit, where rubber tires lose almost half their grip due to cold hardening. In summer, when asphalt aprisons soften, steel tracks don’t sink into the same way tires do—they glide over the soft surface without leaving permanent marks.
But wait, you might be thinking: what about speed and maneuverability? Airports run on tight schedules, and GSE needs to move quickly between gates, runways, and storage areas. Early steel track systems were slow and clunky, with limited top speeds, which made them impractical for airport use. But that’s not the case with modern designs, like the ones we build. Our steel track chassis use dual-phase steel for the tracks, which is strong but lightweight, and we pair them with efficient hydraulic and electric drive systems that can reach top speeds of up to 35 miles per hour—fast enough to keep up with rubber tire GSE on paved surfaces. We’ve also optimized the steering system: instead of the old method of braking one track to turn, our chassis use a synchronized differential steering that allows for a turning radius of less than 10 feet on paved surfaces. That’s almost identical to the turning radius of a standard rubber tire GSE tug, which means operators don’t have to learn a whole new way to drive. I’ve trained dozens of GSE operators on our units, and the feedback is always the same: they can turn as easily as they would a regular tug, and they don’t have to worry about getting stuck when they take a side road to a remote gate.
Another big plus for airport operators: durability and lower total cost of ownership. Rubber tires for GSE don’t last as long as you might think. A standard tire for a luggage tug costs between $500 and $1,000, and wears out in 6 to 12 months, depending on how often the vehicle is used and the terrain it’s on. Add in the cost of flat tires, puncture repairs, and wheel alignments, and that adds up. Our steel track chassis, by contrast, have a design life of 10 to 15 years, and the tracks themselves only need replacement every 3 to 5 years, at a fraction of the cost of replacing four rubber tires. They also have fewer moving parts than a rubber tire chassis, so there’s less maintenance. No more rotating tires, no more checking tire pressure every day, no more dealing with tire blowouts that can cause delays. At one major US airport, they switched 10 of their fuel truck tugs to our steel track chassis three years ago, and last year they reported that their tire and wheel-related maintenance costs dropped by 80%. They also haven’t had a single delayed flight due to a tire issue in that time.
Of course, no technology is perfect, and steel track chassis do have some limitations. For example, on perfectly smooth, level paved surfaces, rubber tires are slightly more fuel-efficient, because rolling resistance is lower. But for airport GSE, that small fuel savings is offset by the lower maintenance and longer lifespan of steel tracks, especially when you factor in the cost of delays. Another limitation: steel tracks can be a bit noisier than rubber tires, which is a concern in areas near residential neighborhoods or inside terminals. But we’ve solved that with rubber track pads that line the inside of the steel tracks, reducing noise by 15 to 20 decibels—about the difference between a normal conversation and a slightly louder one. We also add vibration dampening systems, so the ride is just as smooth for the operator as a rubber tire GSE.
I’ve worked with airports across the globe, from small regional hubs to major international airports, and the most common feedback we get is that steel track chassis aren’t just a replacement for rubber tires—they’re a solution to problems that operators didn’t even know they had. One of our clients at a major European airport had a problem with their de-icing fluid trucks: the rubber tires would pick up de-icing chemicals from the ground and track them onto the main runways, which was a safety hazard because de-icing fluid makes runways slippery for aircraft. Our steel track chassis have a closed track design that keeps de-icing fluid contained inside the track, so it doesn’t get onto the pavement. That small detail solved a huge regulatory problem for them, and saved them thousands of dollars in fines and rework.
As an steel track chassis supplier, I’ve spent years testing and refining our designs for industrial and commercial applications, and airport GSE is one of the most promising use cases we’ve found. The industry is changing, with airports investing more in sustainable, long-lasting equipment that reduces downtime and maintenance costs, and steel track chassis check all those boxes. They’re not a niche product for construction sites anymore—they’re a practical, reliable option for every type of airport GSE, from luggage tugs to de-icing trucks to fire trucks.
If you’re an airport GSE manager, fleet operator, or someone who’s tired of dealing with flat tires, slippage, and expensive maintenance, I’d encourage you to stop assuming steel tracks are only for off-road work. It’s worth testing a unit alongside your current rubber tire fleet to see the difference for yourself. We offer customizable solutions, so we can build a steel track chassis that fits your specific GSE needs, whether you’re moving small luggage carts or heavy fuel tanks. We also provide full training and support, so your operators can get up and running quickly without any hassle.
At the end of the day, airport operations are all about safety, efficiency, and reliability. When your ground support equipment is dependable, doesn’t cause delays, and keeps your staff and passengers safe, that’s what makes the whole system work. Our steel track chassis deliver all of that—and more. If you’re ready to stop dealing with the limitations of rubber tire GSE and invest in a solution that will serve your airport for years to come, reach out to our team to start the conversation about your needs. We can provide detailed performance data, reference cases from other airports, and a custom quote tailored to your fleet.
Tracked Drill Rig Chassis References:
- Federal Aviation Administration. (2021). Airport Pavement Design and Maintenance Guidelines. U.S. Department of Transportation.
- International Civil Aviation Organization. (2020). Ground Support Equipment Safety Standards. ICAO Doc 9830.
- Steel Track Alliance. (2022). Ground Pressure and Traction for Industrial Tracked Vehicles. Industrial Vehicle Technology Report.
- Airport Cooperative Research Program. (2019). Total Cost of Ownership for Ground Support Equipment. ACRP Report 172.
Murphy Construction Machinery (Shandong) Co., Ltd.
Murphy Construction Machinery (Shandong) Co., Ltd. is one of the most professional steel track chassis manufacturers and suppliers in China, also supports customized service with low price. Please feel free to buy CE approved steel track chassis made in China here from our factory. For pricelist, contact us now.
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