The Different Types of Construction Vehicles That Exist Today

There are over 700,000 construction firms in the United States that collectively employ 7 million citizens and create over $1.4 trillion worth of structures each year. The construction industry is the backbone of this great nation.

If you are involved in the construction industry or benefit from it, you need to know some different types of construction vehicles. Knowing what vehicles are present on a construction site will help add to your overall knowledge base.

If you are a construction employee having this knowledge will also help you with job site safety.

The following vehicles are some of the most common ones found in the field of construction. The best construction company should have them all.

Excavator Types of Construction Vehicles

Excavators are one of the most common types of construction vehicles. Most excavators sit on treads and have a boom, bucket, dipper, and cab. The operator sits in the cab and pulls levers to excavate large chunks of earth.

There are different head attachments for most kinds of excavators. Attachments include things such as drills, different-sized shovels, plows, and masticators. You can find some attachments at fecon.com.

Bulldozer Types of Construction Vehicles

The bulldozer is another classic type of construction vehicle category that consists of multiple different kinds of vehicles. From the mini-dozer that is appropriate for residential use to huge industrial bulldozers all are relevant.

Bulldozers often sit on treads and resemble tanks. They have a large blade in the front that allows them to push earth and move giant loads. Another type of dozer is a backhoe which has an excavator on its back and often sits on tires.

Construction Trucks

A wide variety of trucks can be found on any modern construction site. From dump trucks to concrete mixing trucks each serves its purpose. No construction project could be completed without heavy-duty trucks.

Cranes

Mobile crane vehicles are another essential piece of construction equipment. The sizes of cranes vary based on their project. The largest cranes are very hard to move but smaller ones can be mounted on vehicles.

Forklifts

Every construction project needs some forklifts to move heavy materials around. Without them, production times would take much longer to move heavy supplies by hand.

Compactors or Steam Rollers

When the time comes to compact some earth or lay some pavement, you need a steam roller. These vehicles have a large cylinder on their front end that smooths and smashes any surface it rolls over.

Trenchers

Trenchers are specialized pieces of equipment used to dig ditches in the earth. There are different types of trenchers but the most common is a wheel trencher. This trencher resembles a vehicle with a giant buzzsaw on the back.

Graders

When you need a flat even surface such as a road or staging area using a grader is your best bet. These versatile vehicles are also great for maintaining dirt or gravel roads as they degrade over time.

Know Your Construction Vehicles

In the world of construction knowledge is power and it can also keep you alive. Knowing about the different types of construction vehicles is one of the most important things to be aware of on any job site.

Try to identify some of the classic construction vehicles on a job site near you using the information in this guide. To learn more about the world around you make sure to check back with our site for other important information.