Material Transfer Vehicles

A material transfer vehicle, usually shortened to MTV and also known as a feeder, shuttle or transfer machine, is a self-propelled machine that receives hot mix asphalt from trucks and delivers it to an asphalt paver. It works as a buffer between the trucks and the paver: trucks unload quickly into its large receiving hopper, while the MTV feeds the paver at a steady rate through a swinging conveyor. Many MTVs also remix the asphalt on board to even out its temperature and grading before it reaches the paver.

Without an MTV, trucks back up to the paver and tip their loads directly into its hopper. Every truck exchange can cause a small bump in the new surface, and the paver may have to stop and wait when supply is uneven. By separating truck delivery from paving, a material transfer vehicle allows non-stop, non-contact paving, which helps produce a smoother and more uniform road. On many highway projects, particularly in North America, the use of an MTV is specified by the road authority.

Brief History of Material Transfer Vehicles

As asphalt paving spread after the Second World War, trucks dumping directly into the paver hopper became the standard method of supplying material. Engineers noticed recurring defects linked to this method: patches of coarse or cooler material, known as segregation, and bumps caused by trucks nudging the paver.

Road authorities and manufacturers in the United States began looking at ways to keep trucks away from the paver and to remix the asphalt before placement. Windrow elevators, which pick up asphalt dumped in a row in front of the paver, were an early solution. The dedicated self-propelled MTV with a remixing function came later: Roadtec introduced its Shuttle Buggy in 1989, designed to reduce both material and thermal segregation and to provide a continuous supply to the paver. Later research by highway agencies, including studies with infrared cameras, highlighted the effect of thermal segregation on pavement life and supported the adoption of MTVs.

Other manufacturers followed with their own machines. In Europe, Vögele developed its PowerFeeder range, while Weiler, Dynapac and others added feeders and remixing transfer vehicles. Today MTVs are used on many motorways and airport paving projects, and offset versions can also supply material sideways to a paver working in an adjacent lane.

How a Material Transfer Vehicle Works

Receiving hopper. The truck unloads into a large, low front hopper. Some machines accept material from end-dump trucks, others also from live-bottom or belly-dump trucks, and some can pick up windrows from the ground.
Conveyors. A heavy-duty slat or belt conveyor lifts the asphalt from the front hopper into the machine’s storage hopper.
Remixing. On remixing MTVs, anti-segregation augers or paddles in the storage hopper blend the material, reducing differences in temperature and particle size.
Storage. The machine’s own hopper holds a reserve of asphalt, which keeps the paver working during truck exchanges. Many pavers are also fitted with an insert in their hopper to increase the reserve.
Discharge conveyor. A swinging conveyor, often heated, carries asphalt to the paver’s hopper. It can swing to the side for offset feeding, for example to a paver on a shoulder or in the next lane.
Undercarriage. Most MTVs run on crawler tracks or large rubber tyres and have their own diesel engine and hydrostatic drive.

Types of Material Transfer Vehicles

Remixing MTVs

Machines with augers or mixing units in the storage hopper that actively remix the asphalt. They are the most common type on highway projects where anti-segregation performance is specified.

Non-Remixing Feeders

Machines that receive, store and convey material to the paver without an active remixing stage. They still separate trucks from the paver and provide a buffer.

Windrow Elevators

Attachments or machines that pick up asphalt dumped in a windrow on the road ahead of the paver and lift it into the hopper. They are an older but still used alternative.

Offset Feeders

MTVs with long swinging conveyors that can supply a paver working beside them, for example on shoulders, in narrow lanes or on bridges where trucks cannot get close.

Compact Transfer Units

Smaller feeders and conveyors designed for city streets and smaller projects, where a full-size MTV would be too heavy or too large.

Size Classes

Class	Typical storage capacity	Typical use
Compact	about 10 to 15 t	Urban paving, smaller projects
Standard	about 15 to 30 t	Highway and motorway paving
Large	about 30 t and more	High-output paving, runways

Figures are indicative.

Attachments and Options

Paver hopper inserts. An extra container fitted in the paver’s hopper, which increases the amount of material stored directly in front of the screed.
Heated or insulated conveyors. They reduce cooling of the asphalt between the storage hopper and the paver.
Windrow pickup heads. On some machines, the front hopper can be replaced or supplemented by a pickup unit that lifts asphalt dumped on the road.
Long offset conveyors. Extended swinging conveyors for feeding a paver working in an adjacent lane or on a shoulder.
Temperature measurement. Infrared sensors or thermal cameras that monitor the temperature of the material passing through the machine.
Lighting packages for night paving, when many highway projects are carried out to reduce traffic disruption.

Main Manufacturers

Roadtec, part of Astec Industries, with its Shuttle Buggy range.
Vögele, part of the Wirtgen Group, with its PowerFeeder range including offset versions.
Weiler, a US manufacturer of remixing transfer vehicles and other paving equipment.
Dynapac, part of the Fayat group, with material feeders.
Caterpillar, which supplies Weiler machines through its dealer network in some markets.

Main Uses of Material Transfer Vehicles

Continuous paving on motorways and highways where smoothness is specified.
Airport runway and taxiway paving.
Reducing thermal and material segregation in asphalt layers.
Feeding pavers in adjacent lanes, shoulders and bridge decks.
Supporting night work and long-haul supply, where trucks may arrive irregularly.
Keeping heavy trucks off freshly placed layers or sensitive surfaces.

Planning Paving with an MTV

Balance production. The MTV only helps if the asphalt plant, trucks and paver are matched. Its storage buys time between trucks but cannot cover a long break in supply.
Use a hopper insert. A paver hopper insert increases the reserve of material in front of the screed and makes the most of the MTV.
Check bridge and ground loads. A loaded MTV is heavy. Load limits on bridges and weak pavements must be checked before work starts.
Plan offset feeding. Where the MTV works in one lane and the paver in another, traffic management and conveyor reach need to be planned in advance.
Clean regularly. Asphalt build-up in hoppers and conveyors reduces capacity and affects remixing. Release agents and routine cleaning help.

Safety

Material transfer vehicles work between trucks and pavers, with ground staff often walking in the gaps. The main hazards are people struck or crushed by trucks backing up to the hopper, contact with moving conveyors and augers, and burns from hot asphalt and heated surfaces. Clear communication between the MTV operator, truck drivers and the paver crew is essential, often with a dedicated person to guide trucks. Guards must be in place on conveyors, and maintenance must only be done with the machine stopped and locked out. Fumes and heat in the hopper area also require attention, and cameras and warning systems improve visibility around the machine.

Trends and Technology

Thermal imaging systems mounted on pavers or MTVs record asphalt temperature across the mat and document the uniformity of the material. Telematics and paving management software link the asphalt plant, trucks, MTV and paver, helping to plan truck arrivals and reduce waiting. Remixing technology continues to be refined, and newer machines use more fuel-efficient engines and drives. Offset feeding is being used on more projects where traffic must continue alongside the works.

Key Terms

MTV: material transfer vehicle.
Segregation: uneven distribution of aggregate sizes or temperatures in asphalt.
Thermal segregation: cooler patches of material that compact poorly.
Non-contact paving: paving in which trucks do not touch the paver.
Hopper insert: an extra container in the paver’s hopper that increases its capacity.
Offset feeding: supplying a paver in an adjacent lane with a swinging conveyor.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why use a material transfer vehicle? It keeps trucks away from the paver, provides continuous supply and, on remixing models, reduces segregation, which helps produce a smoother and more durable surface.

Is an MTV required on all asphalt jobs? No. It is common on highway and airport projects, where specifications often call for one, but many smaller jobs are paved directly from trucks.

What is the difference between an MTV and a windrow elevator? An MTV receives material directly from trucks and stores it on board, while a windrow elevator picks up material dumped on the road in front of the paver.

Can an MTV feed a paver in another lane? Yes. Many machines have swinging conveyors that allow offset feeding to a paver working alongside.