Hot take: apprentice operators should spend their first year on a smaller rig

Overheard an older operator at the union hall say “starting on a 50 ton just teaches bad habits” and honestly it clicked for me after watching a kid struggle with a truck crane last week. Anyone else think we rush rookies into big iron too fast?

3 comments

3 Comments

claire_hart534d ago

Remind me, @taylor12, are you saying 50 ton cranes teach bad habits just because they're a bigger step up from a 30, or is it more about how people handle the controls? Most of the bad habits I see come from folks not learning basic hand signals and ground conditions, not the crane size.

taylor124d ago

Start on a 30 ton first. 50s teach some bad habits already.

wendysanchez4d ago

Interesting take. Are you saying someone who learns proper technique and control from day one on a 50 is doomed, or is it more about how long they stay on that bike? I've seen plenty of riders start on 600cc sportbikes and be totally fine three years later because they actually took a class and practiced slow speed maneuvers. But I've also seen dudes on 250s who still ride like they're terrified of leaning. It's usually less about the bike's displacement and more about what the rider does with their brain between rides. What specific bad habits do you think a 50 ton teaches that a 30 ton avoids?