Some innovations offer so many benefits that they quickly become a standard part of their industry. This is certainly the case when it comes to grapple garbage trucks. The history of these powerful and dependable vehicles starts back in the 1950s, when America was going through an economic revolution.
A smarter, easier way to haul bulky items
As the United States experienced explosive growth in the years following World War II, a rapidly expanding economy put new demands on transport companies to haul heavy or oddly shaped cargo.
The good people at Petersen met this challenge in 1957 when they introduced the Lightning Loader®, which used a mechanical arm to lift bulk containers of citrus fruits in preparation for canning.
It wasn’t long before the waste management industry noticed these vehicles and realized their potential for hauling refuse. They began to incorporate them into their daily operations.
A breakthrough came in the 1970s, when the modern knuckleboom grapple arm first appeared. It allowed sanitation workers to transport bulky waste without breaking their backs.
Grapple garbage trucks: the ultimate waste hauling solution?
Today’s grapple garbage trucks handle a wide range of tasks that are either too heavy or too dangerous for human beings to perform. These include:
- Cleaning up after a logging project: Including the vast amounts of limbs, brush, and stumps left over after the trees are shipped to the mill.
- Pitching in after a disaster: Anyone who has ever experienced a storm-ravaged community knows about the debris created by hurricanes and tornadoes. Grapple garbage trucks play a crucial role in cleaning up these sites, allowing locals to get on with their lives.
- Making municipal waste management more efficient: The EPA estimates that Americans throw away more than 9 million freezers and refrigerators annually. That’s not to mention the countless chairs, sofas, and other bulky items that end up in America’s landfills or recycling centers. Having a grapple garbage truck in your fleet makes it easier to haul this type of refuse.
One of the drawbacks of using a grapple garbage truck is the big investment it takes to buy one outright. This has kept a lot of businesses from enjoying the advantages grapple trucks offer.
Fortunately, there’s an easy solution to this problem. Companies that rent garbage trucks can derive all the benefits of using them without worrying about long-term commitments or huge cash outlays.
That’s where Big Truck Rental comes into the picture. We offer short- or long-term rental agreements to make getting the top-quality vehicles you need for your fleet easy and affordable. Contact us today to learn more.