Power Buggin’ Out

Designed for the rental construction and concrete industries, power buggies tackle everything from hauling concrete and sod to transporting bricks and tools across the jobsite. Alongside these larger industries, niche markets and applications such as golf course and cemetery maintenance, as well as adventurous homeowners and do-it-yourselfers, are also driving sales and strengthening their presence in rental centers.

“Rental is critical for the power buggy. It’s the No. 1 market segment we sell to,” says Russ Warner, concrete and light compaction product marketing manager for Ingersoll Rand. “There are several reasons that go into that, but primarily it’s the type of contractor who is using the buggy. Generally, he’s doing smaller jobs such as patios and sidewalks and he might not have the capital for purchasing a large piece of equipment. A power buggy is great for those smaller jobs.”

The Power of a Buggy

The great debate of whether size does matter rages on within the power buggy market. Buggies are classified by their bucket capacity, which typically ranges from 11 to 21 cu ft. Most manufacturers, including Stone Construction Equipment, Terex, Whiteman MultiQuip, Ingersoll Rand, Miller Spreader and Crown, all have products vested in the 16-cu ft power buggy segment.

The 16-cu ft capacity power buggy tends to be the most popular among users and manufacturers alike. With its payload up to 2,500 lbs, a 16-cu ft hopper can accommodate the load poured from the popular 8- and 12-cu ft concrete mixers, as well as the larger, less common 16-cu ft mixers. While 16-cu ft buggies are powerful enough to haul a concrete mix from a truck, the machine is still able to fit through a standard 36-in. wide doorway, which allows the operator to work in tight indoor spots.

Most power buggies are sold today with polyethylene buckets, but back in the late 1930s and ‘40s, nearly all buggy buckets were made with steel. In the late 1980s, poly buckets broke onto the scene and started eating up the steel bucket’s market share.

“Based on surveys, 70 to 80 percent of buggies sold have poly buckets,” says Ed Varel, engineering product manager for Stone Equipment. “That number is going to be high in the rental market because poly is easier to clean. In the landscaping market, you may see more steel
[buckets] because steel handles debris better without puncturing.”

The easy cleanup of the poly bucket is best suited for concrete work, where the poly bucket dominates the market. By applying a form release agent to the poly bucket before work, all you have to do when the day is done is hose down the bucket — no scrubbing and no swearing. Steel, however, is the bucket of choice if the majority of your work is handling heavy material or asphalt. Huge concrete chunks can punch right through a poly bucket as you are loading it.

While most power buggy manufacturers primarily sell poly bucket buggies, Terex, Miller, Ingersoll Rand and Stone all include a steel bucket option. A steel bucket option runs approximately $500 more than the poly buckets. Stone also offers a stake bed option, which can hold up to 10 cu ft of material.
Stake beds tend to be more popular with landscapers who are hauling sod, soil, plants, flowers and other non-liquid material. Additionally, buckets can be swapped by loosening a few nuts and bolts, taking the original bucket off and lifting the new bucket onto the frame.

Beside bucket alternatives, customers may also choose the option of foam filled tires — as opposed to pneumatic tires, which typically come standard. Foam filled tires are a wise choice on jobsites that are filled with sinister, sharp, rubber-eating rubble. Some manufacturers, like Miller, are even beginning to offer tracked buggies, which provide more flotation than tire models. Tracks are also smoother to

operate and easier on delicate surfaces (they don’t tear up the jobsite like tires), which can make track models great for landscaping and other sensitive project sites.

Another small, but useful feature is the introduction of forklift pockets for transporting. Located on the bottom of the buggy, these forklift pockets provide a safe, stable lifting platform for a forklift to hoist the buggy onto a truck. It might seem like a minor detail, but since a buggy can’t be driven to the jobsite, it makes transporting this little hauler a breeze.

Besides that, not much has changed on power buggies in the last decade or so.

“It has been seven to eight years since there have been any major innovations in the power buggy design or competitive landscape,” says John Gibbons, Terex product manager. “The most recent innovations were changing from a hydraulic drive to a hydrostatic drive, as well as incorporating drive axles with a tapered shaft.”

Loading Up on Info

As with any equipment purchases, critical specs like bucket type, payload capacity, tire and track options and forklift pockets will all be added to the purchasing formula. Potential buyers should also look for a rigid, robust frame and the ability to operate all of the machine’s features without taking your hands too far away from the steering handles. A good added feature is enclosed drum brakes, which protect the brakes from concrete buildup and debris.

If you are in the market for buying or renting a buggy, you’ll also want to consider the machine’s dump angle and bucket height. The angle and height can make the load easier to dump and feather, but you want to be sure the buggy is tall enough if your tasks require you to maneuver the machine over a curb.

Maintenance also plays a role in the cost of a power buggy. From hauling mulch to pouring
concrete, buggies work in some of the most demanding jobsites, so regular upkeep is imperative to keep your power buggy rolling. These mini material handlers require daily checks of oil, gas filters and spark plugs to ensure that all the components are clean and in good working order. Also, all the bearings need to be properly greased before heading out to the jobsite.

“Operators need to make sure that the power buggies are thoroughly cleaned to remove all the concrete and other material. The tires should also be checked regularly to make sure they are properly inflated and that the tread is not worn,” says Gibbons.

Typically, a power buggy will run between $8,000 and $11,000 depending on the bucket size. A buggy with a 16-cu ft bucket tends to be between $9,000 and $9,500, while a larger 21-cu ft
bucketed buggy can run upward of more than $10,000.

Although a power buggy is limited to hauling applications, it gives a compact utility loader (also called a mini skid steer) a run for its money. Being dedicated haulers, buggies are designed with a tub splash protection. This means they don’t slush materials such as concrete during hauling and dumping like a compact utility loader tends to do. Buggies are also easier to learn to operate with their handle bar steering, and they have lower acquisition and maintenance costs.

“The power buggy market is stable and reaching maturity. However with new bucket options and features, I think we are on the brink of more growth,” says Warner. “As we see even more
add-ons and trends shifting toward the Euro-style buggy, which is larger with side tilt capabilities, there is room for much more growth.”

The tried and true power buggy is expected to steadily drive new sales, with new design elements, improvements to operator comfort and ease of operation looming on the horizon. Match those innovative features with the relatively low cost and you have a compact piece of equipment with the power to transport 12 cu ft of concrete or 10 yards of mulch in a single haul.

Jason Morgan is assistant editor of Compact Equipment.