Get Into Landscaping On A Skid Steer Loader

Small environmentally friendly machines like bobcats and skid steer loaders are becoming very popular. There is a good reason for this too. Being small, they cause far less damage to the ground. They also tend to create less in the way of pollution and use far less fuel. There are many models available that operate using liquid gas rather than diesel fuel.

Where skid steer loaders really win is in their maneuverability. Running on tracks, they can turn the full 360 degrees on the spot and squeeze through fairly narrow gaps. This versatility and maneuverability has made them very popular in areas such as landscaping and for jobs such as cleaning up in tight areas around newly constructed buildings.

What has made the skid steer loader even more popular has been the introduction of so many different tools. In the past, the skid steer was just a loader. It could dig and it could be used as a small bulldozer, but the implementation of a variety of tools has made the skid steer a small jack-of-all-trades. Some of these attachments include:

Bucket – digging, moving, lifting, and loading
Augers – digging holes
Pallet Fork – lifting, loading, and moving loaded pallets.
Grapple – lifting, holding, and placing.
Blade – leveling and grading dirt, rock, sand and other materials.
Breaker – break up concrete, stone and asphalt
Tiller – level or till the earth.
Cement Mixer – mix, transport, and dump concrete
Stump Grinder – grinding stumps into wood chips
Snow Blade – plowing snow

That is quite a range of tools which, in the right hands, makes a skid steer loader extremely versatile and useful in many situations. Ownership of either a skid steer loader or a bobcat is often the easiest way into running your own business.

How do you become a skid steer loader operator? The best place to start is with a heavy equipment operator training program. This will teach how to operate a range of equipment including a skid steer loader. The broader knowledge base will help you become a far better operator in the long run with a better understanding of soil types and the limitations for a skid steer loader. ATS Heavy Equipment Operator Schools can provide you with the opportunity to start a career as a skid steer loader and perhaps start your own landscaping business.