What You Need To Know About Boom Truck Crane Rental

Many construction businesses see the need to elevate their workers–literally. When ladders aren’t up to the job, companies can rely on a boom truck crane rental. Here’s what you need to know about renting this type of equipment. 

What is a Boom Truck Crane?

The foundation of a boom truck is a commercial truck chassis. On it is mounted a hydraulic crane, and at the end of this crane, you will often see a cherry-picker bucket attachment for transporting workers up to several stories into the air. They are excellent for hard-to-reach areas. These trucks are also commonly equipped with a winch for lifting equipment or supplies. One advantage of this type of crane, versus a crawler crane, is that it can travel to work sites at highway speeds and on public streets with no trailer required. Boom truck cranes can also lift heavier loads than most crawler cranes.

These trucks are also known as aerial boom trucks and are commonly used for work on overhead power lines as well as for construction, commercial roofing, treescaping, the oil and gas industries, maintenance work, and other applications. Depending on your needs, you can get rental boom trucks with a lifting capacity from just a few hundred pounds to several tons. Boom truck cranes extend up to 34 feet in the air, which is about three stories. 

Different Types of Boom Truck Cranes

There are basically two styles of boom truck cranes, and the type you will need to rent will depend on the type of work you’re trying to accomplish. 

Telescopic booms extend, as the name suggests, like a telescope. Also sometimes referred to as “stick” booms for their straight appearance, these rental boom trucks are helpful when you have a job on uneven terrain or have a spot that is difficult to access. While telescoping booms are great for lifting workers up high, another type of boom truck crane, the articulating lift, is known for its ability to bend. They have a connecting joint which makes it easy to maneuver into difficult spaces and move around or over objects that might be in the way. Both telescopic cranes and articulated cranes have a cherry picker basket at the end in which workers can safely stand and work. 

Why is Boom Truck Rental a Good Idea?

Smaller Investment Than Buying

Boom truck cranes are extremely expensive to purchase, and it could take years before you see a return on your investment. If you don’t use a particular type of boom truck crane consistently, or if you want to buy one, but they find that they are in short supply (like during construction season), you are probably in the market to rent a boom truck crane. Whereas this kind of equipment can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars to purchase, some boom truck cranes, including the use of an operator, can be rented for just a few hundred dollars a day. The type of boom truck crane, the size of your project, location, and contract length will affect the rental price.

Renting Offers Flexibility

Different types of jobs might require different types of lifts. Boom truck rental allows you to choose exactly the right piece of equipment for a particular project. When you rent, you are also likely getting the most current models on the market.

No Need For License or Insurance

Aside from the cost to purchase a boom truck, owning a boom truck comes with the additional expenses of hiring a licensed operator or training and licensing someone on your existing crew. Boom truck cranes rentals generally include the use of the operator as well. 

Where To Go For Help

If you need advice on boom trucks or any other types of cranes, a great resource is General Crane Rental in Macedonia, Ohio. Their extensive experience and knowledge will help to answer all of your questions about cranes and assist you in finding the right equipment to match your project.