---
title: "delivery access: Definition and Meaning | NPSA"
description: "Delivery access is the space and route a truck needs to reach the drop spot. It includes the road, driveway, gates, turning room and overhead clearance."
url: https://npsa.preview.multisites.ai/glossary/delivery-access
publisher: National Portable Storage Association (NPSA)
phone: "(816) 960-6552"
email: info@npsa.org
---

Site and permits

# delivery access

Delivery access is the space and route a truck needs to reach the drop spot. It includes the road, driveway, gates, turning room and overhead clearance. XCaliber Container gives a guide of about 10 feet of width on each side of the container and 13 feet of overhead clearance.

## Why it matters

A delivery fails when the driver cannot reach the spot. Low wires, tree limbs, narrow gates, steep driveways and parked cars are common causes. Truck types differ, so a tilt bed, roll-off or hoist truck may each need different room. A common mistake is to measure the container and forget the truck, which is much longer. Customers should send photos and tell the provider about gates and slopes when they book. Operators should do a site check for large or tight jobs. Figures vary by provider and equipment, so follow the provider's own numbers.

[Read: How to prepare your site for a storage container delivery](https://npsa.preview.multisites.ai/guides/site-preparation-for-container-delivery)

Definition source: [xcalibercontainer.com](https://xcalibercontainer.com/how-to-prep-ground-for-shipping-container-placement/)

## Related terms

[### turning radius Turning radius is the minimum space a vehicle needs to make a turn. A long delivery truck with a trailer needs wide, open space to turn without hitting fences, curbs or buildings. It is often given as a radius or a diameter.](https://npsa.preview.multisites.ai/glossary/turning-radius)[### overhead clearance Overhead clearance is the free vertical space above a road or drop site. Trees, power lines, bridges and roof edges limit it. A delivery truck and container need enough clear height to travel and tilt without contact. Check it along the full route.](https://npsa.preview.multisites.ai/glossary/overhead-clearance)[### tilt-bed truck A tilt-bed truck has a bed that tilts down toward the ground. A winch pulls a container onto or off the bed. It places a 20 ft or 40 ft container on the ground without a crane or forklift. It is the most common delivery truck in portable storage.](https://npsa.preview.multisites.ai/glossary/tilt-bed-truck)[### site preparation Site preparation is the work done on a spot before a container arrives. It includes clearing the access path, checking overhead room, making the ground firm and fairly level, and sometimes adding a gravel or stone base. The goal is a safe drop and a unit that sits flat.](https://npsa.preview.multisites.ai/glossary/site-preparation)[### level ground Level ground is a flat, firm surface without noticeable slope or dips. XCaliber Container advises that a site for a container should have level, firm ground free of pooling water and with few tree roots. Level ground helps placement and prevents tilting or sinking.](https://npsa.preview.multisites.ai/glossary/level-ground)[### right-of-way permit A right-of-way permit is local government permission to use public right-of-way, such as a street or the grass strip between the curb and sidewalk. Cities often require one before a storage container, dumpster or similar item sits there overnight. Rules, fees and time limits differ by city.](https://npsa.preview.multisites.ai/glossary/right-of-way-permit)

[All 220 terms](https://npsa.preview.multisites.ai/glossary)

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