A truck court punishes concrete in a specific way: a loaded trailer stops, the landing gear drops onto a small pad, the tractor pulls away and the same spot takes that load all day. Dock aprons see the same pattern with the added challenge that dock plates, levelers and door tracks all depend on the slab staying flat.
Concrete Contractors of Midland places truck courts, dock aprons, trailer parking and heavy yard slabs for logistics, industrial and energy-service owners in Midland and the surrounding Permian Basin communities. We coordinate the concrete contractor's placement dates with the grading, base and drainage packages, so those preparations are ready when the heavy slab is scheduled.
The calendar for a truck court is shaped by operations. A facility that cannot stop receiving freight needs phased pours and temporary dock access, and we build that plan with the owner's representative before we set a form.
Phasing around live dock operations
We divide a court into bays that can close one at a time. We also post the plan at the gate so drivers see it. Each bay gets a closure date, a pour date, a cure period and a reopening date, and we coordinate with the owner's logistics team so inbound and outbound trailers are redirected before work begins.
Heavy loads wait for strength. Light vehicles may return first, and loaded trailers come back once the mix has reached the engineer's release value. We provide a written release schedule and mark each phase on site, so a driver never has to guess which slab is open.
Cold or wet mornings are the other risk to the calendar. If rain is forecast, we do not open a bay we cannot finish and cover, and we tell the logistics team the evening before when a pour moves so they can reroute trailers.
Working among trailers and yard traffic
Yard work combines moving trucks, pedestrians and heavy equipment, so we separate the work area with barricades and signs and keep a spotter at crossings. Concrete trade partners wear high-visibility gear, and nobody works in a blind spot behind a backing trailer.
We also discuss trailer parking practices with the owner. Wheel chocks, landing gear pads and idle trucks all affect how the area is used during construction, and we agree on rules with the facility manager before mobilization.
Fueling, spill response and lighting need attention as well. Equipment is fueled away from drains and fresh concrete, spill kits stay with the crew and temporary lighting is set for any pour that runs past dusk. After the pour, barricades are checked each morning because trailers and forklifts move them more often than people admit.
Owners who depend on truck courts
Logistics and warehouse developers need courts sized for trailer movement. Industrial and manufacturing owners need heavy slabs at shipping and receiving doors. Oil, gas and midstream owners need heavy yards for pipe, equipment and tank trucks.
Seminole sits where U.S. Highways 62, 180 and 385, State Highway 214 and Farm Road 181 meet, which is the sort of road junction that feeds truck traffic into yards and terminals. Owners in communities like that want pavement that stands up to repeated turning and stopping.
What changes the price of a truck court
Thickness, reinforcing, dowel layout, joint spacing and edge details lead the list. A court with heavy dowelled joints and thickened edges costs more per square foot than a car lot, and it lasts longer under trailers.
Phasing can add cost, since each bay is its own mobilization. We show the effect of phasing options so the owner can weigh a longer schedule against the cost of stopping operations.
Haul distance and mix are the other line items worth watching. A far plant needs a mix that holds workability longer, and a yard that needs high early strength to reopen may justify a mix upgrade. We list those choices and let the owner pick with the cost in front of them.
Midland's airport and industrial setting
Midland International Air and Space Port has four asphalt runways, the longest being 16R/34L at 9,501 feet by 150 feet, and the airport covers about 1,600 acres at an elevation of 2,871 feet. In April 2025 the Midland City Council approved agreements for a radio-frequency testing laboratory at the airport, with 50 new jobs and a $3 million investment in equipment and inventory. Aviation, testing and service activity around a field like that adds to the demand for hardstand and yard slabs.
Midland County is 902 square miles with Midland as county seat, bordered by Martin, Glasscock, Upton, Ector, Andrews and Reagan counties. Distances are long, so haul time from the batch plant is a standard line on every truck court calendar we write. For work outside Midland, we mobilize crews to the site and fix the plant and truck count in advance.
Joints, drainage and equipment details
Joint design is the heart of a heavy slab. Dowels transfer wheel loads from one panel to the next without a step developing between them. Sawcut timing is equally important: the planned joints need to control cracking before an unintended crack establishes its own line across the slab. We review the joint plan with the engineer and confirm dowel spacing and alignment before we place.
Drainage and equipment matter too. Trench drains, dock pits and leveler recesses must sit at the right elevations, and we check them with the trade partners who install the equipment. Where loading dock pits and ramps meet the apron, we set one coordinated elevation plan so water drains away from the doors. Before we pour, the dock equipment installer walks the forms with us to confirm pit depths, leveler sizes and anchor bolt locations, because moving a pit after the slab is placed means cutting concrete.
Send us your yard plan
Share the drawings, truck types and the dates operations can pause. We will return a phasing plan, a pour calendar and a price. Industrial concrete floors inside the building can be included.
Common Questions
How thick is a truck court slab?
Thickness comes from the engineer, based on trailer weights, traffic volume and subgrade strength. A typical truck court is heavier than a parking lot. We build what is drawn and raise questions when the loads and the thickness do not match, and we ask the owner about future fleet changes since heavier trailers later can overload a slab designed for lighter ones.
Why do dock aprons fail?
Common causes include weak base, missing dowels, poor drainage and early loading. We address each by proving the base, placing dowels accurately, confirming slopes and releasing the slab on a schedule.
Can you work while trucks keep loading?
Yes, by phasing. We close one bay or section at a time and keep the rest of the yard open. The plan is built with the owner's team before we start.
How are landing gear areas handled?
Where trailers park repeatedly, we can thicken the slab or specify a stronger section at those spots. The engineer decides, and we price the extra concrete and reinforcing separately.
Do you also build the adjoining yard paving?
Yes. We place concrete paving for yards, truck courts and entrances as one scope when the drawings allow, which keeps joints and drainage consistent.