Backhoes Have A Long History

How long do you think backhoes have been around? Backhoes came to life in the mid 1950s when someone had a brain wave and decided to add a shovel to the front of a tractor and hoe to the rear. Because the action of the hoe is the reverse of other equipment, it was called a backhoe. While the term backhoe really relates more to the hoe, the name stuck to the machine as a whole.

History aside, the backhoe has become one of the most popular units in the fleet known as heavy equipment, or earth moving equipment. The backhoe has come a long way from those early days and now includes four wheel drive, turbo drives, air-conditioned cabs, and computerized components. Despite the advancements, little has changed in the actual operational aspects of the equipment.

Sure, an operator from the early ’60s would struggle to operate one of today’s machines, given an hour or so to familiarize themselves with the controls, and they would be up and running and ready to work. One of the upsides to acquiring heavy equipment operator skills is that these skills are with you for life. Like all skills, it may take an hour or two to get up to speed if you’re out of the business for a couple of years, but the actual operations are still the same.

You can acquire the skills to become an effective backhoe operator by undertaking a heavy equipment training program. At ATS Heavy Equipment Operator Schools, these training programs run for three weeks so, in effect, you can become a qualified operator in less than a month. Are you interested in a career as a heavy equipment operator? If you are then check out our heavy equipment training programs. A career as a backhoe operator could be just around the corner.