"It gets down to comfort - to ergonomics," Moore agrees. "When a machine is equipped with a joystick, it's easier to operate. It's less fatiguing. That's the big factor. A customer/operator can be in the machine for more hours. It takes a lot more effort manually pushing levers a longer distance, plus using foot pedals simultaneously. Yes, there is an additional cost [for joystick control], but it's an investment for higher productivity."

Adapting to the market
Even with the growing popularity of joystick controls, production of skid-steer loaders with traditional mechanical controls isn't being abandoned. And manufacturers continue to provide enhancements to these models, as well. Features such as low-effort servo hydrostatic controls are now standard on most machines equipped with mechanical levers.

Servo controls in a skid steer act similar to power steering in a car, says Gregg Zupancic, product marketing manager, John Deere. "Without power steering, turning the wheel would be very difficult," he notes. "Servo controls in a skid steer allow fingertip operation to drive a machine that would otherwise be much more physical to operate due to the weight of the machine, application or load."

The payoff is increased operator productivity. "They reduce the effort needed from the operator so he can be in the machine for longer periods of time to be more productive throughout the day," Zupancic points out. "And they increase controllability to make novice operators good and good operators better."

Servo controls are particularly beneficial in larger, heavier skid-steer models. "On smaller machines that are lighter and more compact, you may be able to utilize purely mechanical levers. They are less expensive, and contractors who are price-conscious may be willing to sacrifice comfort," Zupancic comments. "But as the machines get larger, manufacturers offer servo assist to make it easier to operate. When you get a skid-steer or track loader in muddy conditions, it's a lot harder to turn the machine. With mechanical linkage, a contractor would be straining in that application. The machine becomes heavier with mud that comes around the wheel wells.