Important Questions to Ask About Heavy-Duty Equipment Rental

Hiring heavy-duty equipment such as a crane, dump truck, and similar pieces is not like renting a car; these pieces may need special transport, specialty insurance, and so on. If you're a contractor who is interested in hiring heavy-duty equipment, you want to ensure you ask all the right questions of the agency so you know what's involved in the rental and know what to expect by way of charges and its overall operation. Note a few of those questions you want to consider with an equipment hire agency.

1. Is transportation figured into the time of rental?

It's important to know if the time it takes to transport heavy-duty equipment to your site is included in the time of the hire or not, since it can often take much longer to deliver this equipment than you might expect. The transport company may need to take a special route to avoid low overhead bridges, and may need to travel very slowly for safety. Always ask if transport time is included so you know how long you will actually have the equipment onsite versus the time it takes for transit.

2. Ask if the insurance you're being charged is optional

Some insurance coverage is usually required for heavy-duty equipment hire, but your contract may include additional coverage that is actually optional. Your insurance for your jobsite may cover certain damages to hired equipment, so you don't want to pay twice for the same coverage. Ask about the insurance you're being charged for before you sign a contract so you know if there is optional coverage you can forego in order to save money, or if it falls under any insurance coverage you already have.

3. Ask about environmental fees

Some heavy-duty equipment hire agencies will charge environmental fees for cleaning of the equipment and disposal of sludge and other waste. You may have disposal facilities at your own jobsite so you could wash the inside of dump trucks and storage containers yourself, and save on this fee.

 4. Ask about safety training

Even if you have a fully trained staff to operate heavy-duty equipment, additional safety training can reduce the risk of accidents when certain equipment is onsite. You may also get a discount on your own insurance costs if you put your staff through regular safety training, so ask a hiring agency about this. They may have their own safety training that they provide with the hire of certain equipment and this can be an added benefit for you.