Compact Multi-Purpose Machine Saves Time and Labor for School District

A four-wheel drive Toolcat™ 5600 utility work machine is providing the grounds maintenance staff of the Charlotte-Mecklenberg (NC) School District with a much more compact and maneuverable alternative to pickup trucks. It is also a much faster and easier option than wheelbarrows for routine maintenance and new construction work.

Six crews share the machine, which they haul on a trailer among the district’s 153 schools. Once on site, they use Bobcat® attachments (mounted on the front loader arm), the cargo box and the rear trailer hitch for a variety of jobs.

“The machine is compact and gets into tight places and through fence gates where we can’t take a truck,” says Jesse Allred, grounds supervisor. “When we haul landscaping materials to a jobsite, it’s a whole lot faster than two feet and a wheelbarrow.”

An article in WorkSaver® magazine last year sparked Allred’s interest in the 5600. Equipped with turf tires, the machine’s all-wheel steering minimizes disturbance of grass and other sensitive surfaces, especially when turning sharply, he says. The tight turning radius saves time when maneuvering among playground equipment, alleyways and other areas where space is limited.

Operators enjoy the enclosed cab with heat and air conditioning. “It keeps them out of the weather, summer and winter, and provides good visibility all around,” Allred says.

The crews use the utility work machine with a bucket for carrying dirt and loading debris into the back of trucks. Agrapple is used to pick up tree limbs and branches. The hydraulic tilt cargo box is handy for hauling mulch, tools and other materials. The rear hitch of this multi-purpose machine also saves time and effort. It is used for jobs ranging from dragging ball fields and pulling a straw blower to towing a trailer-load of chairs and risers.