It’s a new reality that’s impossible to overlook. Skilled operators are becoming tougher and tougher to find. While equipment manufacturers can’t exactly help Canadian contractors fill seats, they are making the equipment easier to run and the cabs more appealing. “It’s harder and harder to find operators and technicians,” says Sam Meeker, Caterpillar’s product application specialist for dozers. “[Customers] want machines that are easier to operate and more intuitive. That’s what drives the features in the cab such as the touch-screen. It’s intuitive and makes it easy to find and access the feature that you’re looking for.” “Also, quieter cabs with better visibility are popular,” he adds. “[The aim is to] get that new guy in the seat faster and make him proficient as quickly as you can.” Max Winemiller, the director of product management for CASE Construction Equipment’s Road Building & Site Prep division, echoes the sentiment. Customers want “reliable, smart machines that help them tackle the trained operator gap and high turnover so they can be competitive with the next contractor,” he says READ HERE
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