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Both removable and fixed track options may be available, depending on the manufacturer. For example, Genie offers a flexible track option for use on approved wheeled models, plus the S-60 and S-65 Trax lifts with a dedicated track undercarriage.

As with other tracked equipment, tracked lifts tend to be easier on turf due to lower ground pressure, and supply more traction in challenging soils, such as sand or gravel. "The Trax can also enter jobsites earlier in the Spring thaw, where muddy conditions make wheeled machines inappropriate," Harvey adds.

Communicate your requirements
To ensure you get the type, size and features you need in a boom lift, it's important to come to the rental center or dealership armed with adequate information. According to Disser, this includes:

• the maximum vertical height and horizontal reach needed to place workers at chest level to the work area;
• total weight to be lifted (workers and materials);
• jobsite conditions, including accessibility to the work area, ground conditions and any overhead obstructions;
• type of power source required;
• number of lifts needed to complete the job.

Once there, be prepared to explain the nature of the work you need to perform and the conditions the lift will encounter. "Discussions of this nature are part of the customer service process at United Rentals," Conley notes. "We want to make sure we're recommending equipment that is optimal for jobsite conditions and worker safety."

If there is any uncertainty about what's needed, consider requesting an on-site assessment. Roeske has nearly 10 years of experience spec'ing lifts, yet he wouldn't hesitate to bring his sales rep at Illini Hi-Reach, the local JLG distributor in LeMont, IL, out to the jobsite. "I know what I need, but if there were a job or situation I wasn't familiar with, I could call my salesman from Illini Hi-Reach. They have very knowledgeable salespeople who not only know the equipment, but they know the application," he states. "You might think you need a 60 footer, and they will say you could do it with a 40. They will save you money."

"Renting the wrong size aerial equipment can be a costly mistake," Disser agrees. To avoid such mistakes, NES Rentals has developed the APEX Precision Height Measurement System. "The APEX system uses laser precision to determine exactly how much reach your job requires and the appropriate equipment selection to get your job done."