A tail-lift is a hydraulic platform at the back of a van or lorry that lowers the load to ground level. The load then has to be wheeled or carried off the platform to its final position. A Hiab is a truck-mounted crane that lifts the load off the truck and places it directly where you want it: over a fence, into a back garden, on a rooftop, anywhere within reach.
How it works in practice
Tail-lifts are fine if the drop-off has clear, flat, paved access from the kerb to the final position, and the load is on castors or a pallet truck. Hiabs are better when the load can’t easily be moved on the ground (heavy, awkward, on a base it can’t be slid off) or when the final position is somewhere a tail-lift drop can’t reach.
What it means for your job
Quick rules of thumb: heavy garden building / over a fence / restricted access → Hiab. Light, palletised, kerbside drop to a forklift → tail-lift. If you’re unsure, send the details and we’ll tell you honestly which is the right tool.
Related reading
All our Hiab haulage services · Why a Hiab beats a standard wagon · Where we operate.
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Call 07932 870006 or send the details through our quote form. Plain English, no surprises.