ForConstructionPros.com

The sweeper attachments get the most use with the skid steers. "We do a lot of sweeping with the brooms on the jobsites," says Fletcher. A RockHound landscape rake, auger, forks, tooth buckets, flat buckets and hammer are other attachments dedicated to the skid-steer and track loaders.

The forks see quite a bit of use. "All of the loaders have vertical lift arms because we have our own trucks to haul our own palletized materials," says Fletcher. "They are able to pick the palletized material off of the trucks better."

According to Fletcher, his operators prefer the track loaders to the skid steers. "My guys seem to use them more than the rubber-tired machines," says Fletcher. "We don't run the tracks on the asphalt; we try to keep those in the dirt. But all of the attachments are used on the track loaders. They are a smoother ride and they are faster."

Fletcher also feels a track loader has an advantage when using the forks to unload palletized materials. "When lifting, it is not bouncing around when you take something off of the trucks," he points out.

Using the same brands of machines and attachments allows Horizon Contracting to stock fewer parts and ensures interchangeability. "As a fleet owner, we try to keep with all of the same machines," says Fletcher. "I have all of the same oil filters and all of the same belts. All of your parts are the same so you are not stocking so many different ones. That has been a tremendous savings."