For many years, vegetation management contractors have struggled to find a good solution for trimming trees along utility line rights of way. Most will admit the old-fashioned practices of climbing trees and using bucket trucks are time consuming and somewhat dangerous. The central division of Wright Tree Service, however, seems to be one of the few contractors that have discovered a better alternative.
Based in Kansas, Wright’s central division is made up of multiple groups, including one headed by project manager Travis Platt. Platt’s group services the area from Manhattan to Leavenworth, and for many years they have used two large-scale mechanical trimmers with saw blades mounted on long booms to trim branches near utility lines. Although these machines have helped increase efficiency, the size of the units has limited their use…
