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Bucket Trucks & Digger Derrick Transport

Nationwide flatbed transport of bucket trucks, aerial work trucks, and digger derricks. Altec, Elliott, Terex, Hi-Ranger, and Versalift — all makes and configurations hauled with oversize permits across all 48 states.

Bucket Truck & Digger Derrick Hauling Services

Bucket trucks and digger derricks are specialized utility vehicles used by electric utilities, telecommunications companies, tree services, and municipal crews for overhead line work, pole installation, and aerial access. R&RM LLC has been transporting these vehicles since 2011, moving them between depots, job sites, auctions, and dealers across all 48 continental states.

Unlike most construction equipment that drives onto an RGN under its own power, bucket trucks and digger derricks are wheeled vehicles transported on flatbed or step deck trailers. The primary transport considerations are height — aerial booms often exceed the 13'6" legal height limit when stowed — and overall vehicle weight, which can require overweight permits on heavier configurations.

Types of Utility Trucks We Transport

Bucket Trucks (Aerial Work Trucks)

Bucket trucks, also called aerial work trucks or boom trucks, feature a hydraulically operated boom arm with a bucket or platform at the end. Crews working on power lines, street lights, traffic signals, and communication infrastructure rely on these vehicles daily. Common configurations include:

Digger Derricks

Digger derricks combine a hydraulic auger (the digger) with a derrick crane for lifting and setting utility poles. They are the backbone of electric utility distribution line construction and are used by contractors and utilities across the country. Key configurations:

Material Handling Trucks

Some utilities operate specialized material handling trucks with knuckle-boom cranes for reel handling, cable pulling, and equipment staging at job sites. These vehicles share many of the same transport requirements as bucket trucks and digger derricks — flatbed hauling, height considerations, and oversize permits when booms or attachments exceed legal dimensions.

Major Manufacturers We Transport

Altec Industries

Altec is one of the largest manufacturers of bucket trucks, digger derricks, and aerial work equipment in North America. Models range from compact single-axle service trucks to large tandem-axle combination units:

Elliott Equipment Company

Elliott specializes in high-reach aerial work platforms and material handling cranes. Their units are commonly used for transmission line work, cell tower erection, and high-voltage line construction where working heights of 100 feet or more are required:

Terex Utilities

Terex manufactures aerial work platforms and service trucks under the Terex Utilities brand, including former Hi-Ranger product lines. Terex equipment is common with municipal electric departments, tree service companies, and telecommunications contractors:

Versalift / Time Manufacturing

Versalift produces a wide range of aerial work platforms for utility, telecom, and light duty applications. Common models include the SST series (single-section telescoping) and VST series (versalift standard telescoping), with working heights from 35 to 80 feet. These vehicles are widely used by municipalities and smaller utility contractors.

Dur-A-Lift

Dur-A-Lift manufactures aerial devices specifically designed for telephone and cable television line construction. Their products are common with telecom contractors and co-op telephone utilities across rural America. Vehicles are typically mounted on medium-duty truck chassis and transport readily on flatbed trailers.

Transport Considerations for Bucket Trucks

Height Clearance

The most critical transport consideration for bucket trucks and digger derricks is stowed height. Most utility trucks with their booms retracted and lowered measure between 13 feet and 15 feet from ground to the highest point — which places them at or above the federal 13'6" legal height limit. Any vehicle or load exceeding 13'6" tall requires an oversize permit in every state it passes through, and route planning must account for every bridge, overhead sign, and utility line along the permitted corridor.

Before loading, drivers should confirm the stowed height of the specific truck being transported, including any equipment or attachments stored on the boom. We route around low-clearance structures and request height-specific permits from each state DOT on the route.

Vehicle Weight

Single-axle bucket trucks on light-duty chassis typically weigh 20,000–30,000 pounds. Tandem-axle heavy-duty units — particularly large transmission digger derricks and heavy lifting cranes — can weigh 60,000–80,000 pounds or more. When combined with the trailer, these moves may approach or exceed the 80,000-pound federal gross vehicle weight limit, requiring an overweight permit.

Overweight permits specify an axle-by-axle weight distribution requirement. Our carriers are familiar with how to properly position and secure bucket trucks on flatbed trailers to distribute weight within permitted axle limits. Our guide on axle weight limits for heavy haul explains how axle spacing and load position affect compliance.

Boom Securing & Securement

Bucket truck booms must be properly secured in the transport position before loading. Most manufacturers specify a transport lock or transport pin that holds the boom in the stowed position. Aerial devices should be confirmed in their lowest stowed configuration, and all hydraulic outriggers should be fully retracted and pinned. Loose attachments, tools, and equipment in the bucket should be removed or secured before loading.

Load securement follows FMCSA regulations under 49 C.F.R. Part 393. A wheeled vehicle on a flatbed typically uses four tie-down chains or straps at the front and rear axles, with additional securement for any outrigger pads, boom attachments, or auxiliary equipment. Our drivers follow manufacturer-specified tiedown points and verify chain working load limits match the vehicle weight before departing.

Width Considerations

Most bucket trucks and digger derricks are within the legal 8'6" width limit when measured at the widest point of the vehicle. However, some heavy-duty units with wide outrigger pads stored flat, wide mirror assemblies, or auxiliary equipment may measure wider than 8'6". Units with mounted reels, cable spools, or material trailers attached may also create an overall width exceeding legal limits. In these cases, an oversize width permit is required, and pilot car requirements apply based on state thresholds.

Industries We Serve

Electric Utilities

Investor-owned utilities, municipal electric departments, and rural electric cooperatives are among the largest operators of bucket trucks and digger derricks. When crews redeploy to storm restoration areas after hurricanes or ice storms, or when new construction crews mobilize for distribution line projects, the vehicles need to move quickly. R&RM LLC handles expedited moves for utility contractors across Georgia, the Southeast, and all 48 states.

Telecommunications

Telecom companies and cable contractors use aerial work trucks for pole work, aerial line stringing, and cell tower maintenance. Contractors working on 5G network buildouts, fiber optic cable deployment, and rural broadband expansion regularly move bucket trucks between project areas. We transport single units and multi-unit fleet moves for telecom contractors nationwide.

Tree Services & Vegetation Management

Line clearance tree trimming contractors operate large fleets of bucket trucks along utility corridors. When contracts shift or crews redeploy seasonally, vehicles move between regions. We handle flatbed hauling of tree service bucket trucks, including units with chippers, chip bodies, and ground equipment mounted on the vehicle.

Municipalities & Government

Cities, counties, and state DOTs operate bucket trucks for street light maintenance, traffic signal work, and right-of-way vegetation management. When municipalities purchase used equipment at auction or redeploy vehicles between departments, we provide flatbed transport with pickup from any public works yard, auction house, or dealer in the country.

Common Bucket Truck Transport Scenarios

Transport Pricing

Bucket truck and digger derrick transport pricing depends on vehicle size and weight, origin and destination, oversize permit fees, and route complexity. A standard single-axle bucket truck moving 400–600 miles typically costs $1,500–$3,500. Larger tandem-axle digger derricks on longer runs, or vehicles requiring overweight permits, typically cost $3,500–$6,500 for similar distances. Expedited moves arranged within 24–48 hours carry a premium. Contact us with the specific make, model, and pickup/delivery locations for an accurate quote.

See our oversize load transport services page and our guide on heavy haul cost factors for additional context on what drives transport pricing.

Get a Bucket Truck Transport Quote

To get an accurate quote, provide the vehicle make, model, stowed height, overall vehicle weight, and pickup and delivery addresses. If the vehicle is non-operational, let us know — we can arrange winch-loading or crane-assisted loading for vehicles that cannot be driven onto a trailer under their own power.

R&RM LLC handles all permit applications in-house. Call us at (404) 987-6225 or fill out our online quote form and we will get your utility truck moving.

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Utility Truck Hauling Specialists

Bucket trucks, digger derricks, aerial work platforms — flatbed transport nationwide with oversize permits handled in-house.

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