Truck Crane Rental Calculator

Enter Rental Details

Example Data Table

Numbers above are illustrative examples for training and estimating.

Formula Used

These multipliers are estimating heuristics to standardize quotes. Your supplier may use different escalation rules for chart margins, counterweight, permits, and rigging plans.

How to Use This Calculator

1. Choose your billing basis and enter the base hourly rate.
2. Enter duration, utilization, and any minimum billable hours.
3. Add lift profile inputs: capacity, load, radius, boom, and site conditions.
4. Toggle crew items and add overtime or standby if applicable.
5. Include mobilization, hauling distance, permits, insurance, and surcharges.
6. Apply discounts and tax to match your quotation format.
7. Press Calculate to view totals and breakdown above.
8. Use Download CSV or Download PDF for bids.

Truck Crane Rental Estimating Notes for Construction Teams

1) Typical rental time units used on sites

Truck crane hire is commonly priced hourly, then normalized to daily, weekly, or monthly blocks for procurement. A practical estimating baseline is an 8–10 hour working day, a 5-day workweek, and about 22 working days per month. This calculator converts those blocks back to hours, so crews can compare supplier quotes on one consistent unit.

2) Utilization and minimum billing effects

Many projects do not lift continuously. When utilization is 70–90%, the crane may spend time waiting on prep, deliveries, or sequencing. Lower utilization increases effective billable hours because the same scope takes longer to complete. If your vendor enforces a minimum (often 4 hours), the tool applies that floor to prevent under-quoting.

3) Capacity bands and base rate scaling

Larger capacity trucks typically cost more to operate due to higher fuel burn, counterweight handling, and heavier transport. Estimators often group equipment into bands such as 25–60 t, 60–120 t, and 120 t+ to align with vendor rate cards. The calculator uses a capacity factor to reflect this escalation while keeping your base hourly rate as the starting point.

4) Load ratio and radius sensitivity

A key planning indicator is the load ratio: load ÷ rated capacity. As this ratio climbs, lifts typically require more rigging attention, slower cycling, and tighter chart margins. Outreach matters too: increasing radius from 15 m to 30 m can materially reduce chart capacity and extend cycle times. The tool applies load and radius factors to represent these effects.

5) Site access, ground conditions, and premiums

Tight urban access, restricted swing, or critical lift controls can add measurable time for setup, spotters, exclusion zones, and engineered mats. Ground uncertainty is a common contingency driver; soft or unknown conditions often trigger added planning, blocking, and reduced travel speed. The site, ground, and traffic selectors provide controlled percentage uplifts to cover this risk.

6) Crew composition and productivity allowances

Quotes may include only the crane and operator, or a full package with riggers and a lift supervisor. Typical jobsite staffing ranges from 1 operator plus 1–3 riggers, with supervisor oversight for complex picks. Overtime is commonly priced at 1.5× to 2.0×. Here, overtime adds the premium portion, while labor lines remain transparent.

7) Transport, permits, and fuel surcharge handling

Mobilization and demobilization are frequently fixed charges, while hauling depends on distance, rate per km, and number of trips. Road permits, escorts, and insurance are best captured as direct line items. Fuel surcharges often fall in the 3–10% range and may apply to equipment and transport. This calculator adds the surcharge to those components so the final subtotal is auditable.

FAQs

1) Should I estimate hourly or daily?

Use the same basis as your supplier, then compare totals. Hourly is best for short lifts. Daily works for full-shift work. Weekly or monthly helps when cranes are dedicated across multiple work fronts.

2) What utilization percentage is reasonable?

For intermittent picks, 70–85% is often safer than 100%. For repetitive lifts with steady feeding, 85–95% may fit. If you are unsure, start at 80% and adjust after a trial day.

3) Do multipliers replace a lift plan?

No. Multipliers estimate cost impacts from complexity. Lift plans, chart checks, ground bearing calculations, and rigging designs still require qualified review and site-specific verification before execution.

4) How do I include mobilization and hauling?

Enter fixed mobilization and demobilization costs, then add one-way distance, haul rate per km, and trips. If escorts or permits are separate, place them under permits/road closures for clean reporting.

5) How are discount and tax applied?

The calculator discounts the subtotal first, then applies tax to the discounted amount. If your jurisdiction taxes specific items differently, set tax to zero here and add your tax as a separate line in your bid worksheet.

6) Can I export without losing my inputs?

Yes. After you calculate, the download buttons submit the same inputs in hidden fields to generate CSV or PDF. Your on-screen totals and breakdown stay consistent with the exported report.

7) Which inputs usually change the total the most?

Base rate, effective hours, capacity, and radius are typically the largest drivers. Utilization also matters when work is stop-start. Transport distance and permits can dominate on remote sites or when road restrictions apply.