How important the Truck Mounted Crane in America

The construction industry creates roughly 1.3 billion dollars worth of buildings every year in the United States. One of the most common pieces of equipment used on construction sites is the crane. Amongst all the different types to choose from, crane trucks make transportation easy. Not to mention they help speed the building process along. However, within the crane truck category, there are many different options—including the truck crane and the boom truck. These two terms seem interchangeable on the surface, but they are not the same. To learn about the difference between a truck crane and a boom truck, keep reading. The Boom Truck A boom truck is a commercial truck with a hydraulic crane attached to its chassis. This structure gave manufacturers plenty of room to create several variations of the boom truck. The fixed cab is a standard truck with the boom lift on the back. The driver can operate the boom from the front. The downfall of this option is that the person operating the machine cannot see where it is going. With the swing cab, the operating booth attaches to the lift and, therefore, moves with it. Some have open riding seats, which don’t protect a worker from the outdoor elements. However, they also shift in the same direction as the crane, making it easier for the operator to see what they are doing. Furthermore, there are fifth-wheel tractors with a boom lift mounted on the back. Sometimes the boom lift faces the front of the vehicle, and the machine sits in the back. Manufacturers refer to this placement as a rear mount. Truck Mounted Crane Types There are a couple of different types of booms too. Telescopic booms work well on uneven terrain or when there’s a tough spot that workers need to access. The second type is the articulating lift, which is known for its ability to bend, not so much for its height. The joint in the extension makes it easy to adjust the crane to a precise size and place. It is also useful for workers to get around objects. Both types of cranes come with the option of having a man basket at the end. Industries Commonly Using Truck Mounted Crane The industries that use boom trucks include power and electricity, oil and gas, and commercial roofing. These lifts come in handy when checking the pressure and the depth of an oil well before drilling occurs. Powerline companies will use boom trucks to keep branches from interfering with electricity and landlines. Even treescaping companies will use them to remove dead limbs. Construction sites need lifts when putting gravel on flat roofs. This method prevents heat and water exposure, which helps it last longer.