In the world of the construction company, it is important to always plan ahead, ensuring that deliveries are ready to arrive just before you need them, that you have the right equipment on site, that you have the right team for each job and that any external facilities that you hire are not only ready when you need the but appropriate for the job in hand.
This is certainly true when it comes to skip lorry hire. There are a number of very well respected and well-known companies who manufacture skip loader lorries for hire. The question is; which one should you be selecting for your ongoing project?
The main manufacturer that you will want to look at in your quest to find the right skip loader for hire are Volvo, Iveco, DAF, Renault, and Scania.
The pros and the cons
As with any decision that you make, it is important to weigh up the pros and cons of the different brands available.
What roads are you using?
The type of roads that the lorry will be driven on together with the type of site that it will be driven on are certainly a good starting point to consider. If the majority of the driving will be taking place on bigger roads then the width, and indeed the height of the cab may not need to be considered too closely. However, for those narrow country roads where overgrown hedges can make it particularly tight the narrower cab of a DAF is a particular advantage, as is the fact that it sits higher which makes vision just that little bit easier. Many of the other brands have wider cabs and this can lead to clipping of the wing mirrors and even doors in those tighter spots. Its also worth remembering that narrower streets can also be found in heavily built up areas as well and lorries can and do get stuck as we have seen all too often in the press.
What about ground clearance?
Likewise, clearance is an incredibly important consideration when looking at skip loader hire. Building sites are not always smooth surfaced, and landfill sites certainly aren’t. If your selected vehicle has a low ground clearance, then you may be heading for trouble. Scania, whilst being touted by many as a good all-rounder do have a lower clearance so are best avoided for those bumpier, uneven jobs. They are of course an ideal choice if you will be using them on more even ground or tipping is to be done at a transfer station.
Weight considerations
The weight of these vehicles will also vary from one model to another and this in turn does have an implication on the payload that you can carry. The Scania for example is heavier than a DAF so will have a payload that is a little less.
Possibly one of your most important considerations, however, will be the body of the skip loader. Depending on the type of site and jobs that you are involved in you will need to consider whether extending arms, which many of the Volvos have or fixed arms with a tele-hoist like the DAF will be more suitable for your project.
At the end of the day every brand of skip loader will certainly have its plus points, and of course its negatives, and every driver will favour driving one type over another. Whilst personal preference on this front may be a deciding factor in your choice it is certainly important to make sure that you get the right vehicle for the job.
If you are unsure which one this would be then consider discussing it with your hire company and let them advise you as to what options could be appropriate for your needs.
I haven’t been up to date with lorry brands. Thanks for sharing this article.