A knuckleboom truck is a multi-functional piece of heavy-duty equipment. This is a truck with an articulated boom attached to the base behind the cab that resembles a human finger. The end of the boom can be modified to perform various tasks. These vehicles can perform many different jobs, depending on the attachment that is used: excavation, drilling holes, lifting, hauling and transferring of material, and forestry work.

• Excavation - These trucks can do the work of a typical modern excavator. They can be configured to perform the job by attaching a general purpose bucket that can dig and break through the ground. Knuckleboom truck excavators are commonly used along with a pay loader and bulldozer. Regardless of the location, this equipment can be set up for a particular purpose to get work done that is usually performed by a back hoe and this work can be accomplished with efficiency and increased productivity.

• Hole Drilling - To accomplish multiple tasks, these vehicles can also be modified into powerful machines that can drill holes. An auger drill can be attached at the end of the boom to perform the tasks of a typical digger derrick. When this equipment is configured into a digger derrick, it can rapidly bore holes and then relocate from one location to another, enhancing productivity and work efficiency.

• Lifting, Hauling and Transferring of Material - Another important task of this type of vehicle is its capacity to lift, haul and transfer heavy material using the appropriate configuration. Modern technological advancement shows that this type of vehicle can load and unload heavy material on and off a transport vehicle and act like a standard crane. The versatility and efficiency of this monster machine is so advanced because of its increased payload, precise control, lower profile and ability to reach great distances. It is equipped with outriggers to maintain balance while lifting, hauling and transferring loads from one place to another.

• Forestry Work - In the forest industry, this truck is used in the harvesting and cutting of trees into different lengths and sizes. For forest operations, it can also do tree felling, the removal of tree branches and bucking of trees. Examples of these types of vehicles that are used in forestry are the harvester and forwarder. The end of the knuckleboom arm can be attached with a hydraulically powered chain-saw to cut trees It can also be set up with two-feed rollers and curved de-limbing knives to cut branches.

The task of a knuckleboom truck hardly ever remains the same from one day to another. Modern technological advancement and increasing global demand has significantly expanded the scope of its capacity to perform different tasks. This truck is not just utilized in one particular area but is also used for other various tasks, thus making it a multi-functional machine. Knuckleboom trucks actually mimic the working capacity of a crane, digger derrick, cherry picker, harvester and grapple truck.

However the parts or attachments are arranged, the two attributes that are of the greatest importance when it comes to performance are increased productivity and efficiency, which is exactly what a knuckleboom truck offers!