LOUISVILLE, Kentucky — JCB believes it has found the “sweet spot” that customers have asked for in its track loader lineup thanks to the launch of the 250T, which was first shown publicly at the 2026 National Farm Machinery Show.
The company already has a 215T and 270T, but this new machine “is really a direct result of customers in the field saying, ‘Hey, we need something more in between,” said Lee Tice, senior product manager for compact products at JCB. “So our engineers got to work and came up with this, which is based on our smaller platform chassis, because we see a lot of times these machines need to be compact to get into confined spaces, like poultry barns.”
The 250T has a 2,500-pound rated operating capacity and weighs under 10,000 pounds, which makes it easier to trailer. It also has a track size of 15.5 inches, which sits between its two sibling machines.
And while the phrase “safety third” is a bit of a morbid quip in blue-collar industries, the JCB 250T reinforces all of the safety-first features that Tice said customers have come to expect from the brand.
Key among those is the side-access door, so that operators can enter and exit the machine without having to come close to the front implement, like an auger, or anything that an implement may be holding, like a round bale. (Though the front window has a latch to remove it if an emergency exit is ever needed during entrapment.) The design also helps increase visibility for the operator, because there is no boom down the left-hand side of the machine.
“ We set out in 1993 to say, ‘How do we make a safer compact track loader?’ And this machine is based on that premise. We’ve got the side-door entry and all the other bells and whistles.”
Still, from an operator’s perspective, it feels like a traditional twin-boom machine. It has a parallel lift, smooth ride, reversing fan, Bluetooth radio, and backup cameras — all of which come standard.
Tice focused on serviceability as well — “JCB loves the theme of commonality of engines and serviceable components,” he explained.
All of these machines share essentially a common engine power plant, the same fuel filter, the same oil filter, the same air filter. All of this makes them increasingly easier to take of.
“When it comes to daily maintenance on these machines, I can promise every customer that there’s nothing to grease on the left-hand side of the machine,” Tice noted. “I removed 10 to 12 grease points by taking that left boom away. So, your daily greasing times and the amount of money spent in grease, we can put a dollar amount on that.
“Those type of features really speak volumes with our customers,” he added.
The 250T is poised to be the kind of machine that’s for anybody and everybody — the workhorse of a farm or construction site. It’s able to do multiple tasks and use multiple attachments, showcasing its versatility.
