Bulldozers or Graders? It Depends on the Job

These days there really is not as much need to pull out the graders for small to mid-sized jobs, these are often the domain of bulldozers with laser-guided blades. That does not mean that graders are out of a job, far from it, it just means that they are relegated to predominantly larger tasks. There are a few reasons that we can see for this transition.

New technology allows bulldozers to perform tasks that they were not previously able to do. In particular, the aforementioned laser-guided grading systems that are now available for an affordable price really makes light work of complicated grading requirements. Light bulldozers are able to perform some remarkable feats of grading in small-scale situations. It is perhaps this that has seen some smaller companies make use of them for slightly larger jobs as well. A bulldozer, whether it is laser-guided or not is not going to do the job of a purpose built grader, but it will allow spaces that were previously too small to be graded to receive the benefit of grading.

Tighter spaces have meant that we are not always able to fit a grader into a property, nor able to give it the room it needs to maneuver. This has been the situation for some time. Graders are well suited to wide open areas, rather than the small blocks of suburbia. That is why you will find graders in large construction sites and working roads, but usually not leveling a suburban block.

So what are graders used for?

Graders are used for big jobs that require the precision that they are built for. Graders are used for creating roads and runways, and sometimes for grading large foundations. You will also find graders put to heavy use in winter, when they are put to use clearing snow from roads. If you live in an area with a lot of snow, it is scarce to see a grader going unused, no matter what time of the year you find yourself in.

If you are interested in learning more about driving bulldozers or graders, please do not hesitate to contact us at Associated Training Services.