Projects

# Equipment in the Field

TLDR

Outside plant work deploys several equipment classes: directional drills and their support units, excavation equipment, aerial access vehicles, fiber placement and splicing equipment, and locating and testing instruments. Strilla operates owned equipment rather than relying on rental availability.

## Why ownership affects your schedule

A contractor relying on rented equipment is dependent on rental availability, and rental availability is worst exactly when demand is highest, which is when your schedule is most likely to be under pressure.

Owned equipment converts an availability negotiation into an internal scheduling decision. It also means the equipment is maintained by the people who depend on it rather than by whoever had it last.

## Equipment classes deployed

The equipment on a given project depends on the scope. A single crossing needs a drill, its support unit and restoration equipment. A full outside plant build may run drilling, excavation, aerial and fiber crews concurrently.

- Directional drilling rigs with tracking and locating systems
- Drilling fluid mixing and management support units
- Excavation equipment for pits, handholes and vaults
- Vacuum excavation capability for potholing near existing plant
- Aerial access vehicles for pole line work
- Fiber blowing equipment and cable handling gear
- Fusion splicing and optical test equipment
- Traffic control devices and site protection equipment

## What does a bore crew bring to a typical site?

A bore site is laid out around the drill. The rig sits at the entry point with its drill rod supply, and a fluid unit mixes and pumps the drilling fluid that cools the drill head, holds the hole open and carries cuttings back to the surface. A walkover tracking receiver follows the drill head from the surface and reads its depth and direction.

A vacuum excavation unit exposes existing utilities for potholing and removes spent fluid from the pits. Conduit reels or trailers stage the product for pullback, and traffic control devices protect the work zone where the site is in or near the road.

## How is a work site protected from equipment damage?

Equipment is staged within permitted limits, and the surface it sits on is protected. Ground protection mats spread the load of heavy equipment on turf and soft ground. Drilling fluid is contained in pits or tanks rather than allowed to run across the site, and spent fluid is removed for proper disposal.

Driveways, curbs and sidewalks crossed by equipment are checked before and after the work, and photographed, so restoration covers anything the equipment affected. Protection is cheaper than restoration, and it is part of finishing the job properly.

## Equipment condition as a signal

When evaluating a contractor, the condition of their equipment on site is a reasonable proxy for how the rest of the operation is run. Well maintained equipment fails less, and a crew that maintains its equipment tends to maintain its documentation too.

Specific fleet composition and equipment detail are provided in prequalification packages on request.

## Key takeaways

- Owned equipment turns availability into an internal scheduling decision instead of a rental negotiation during peak demand.
- A bore site centers on the drill, a fluid unit, a walkover tracking receiver and vacuum excavation for potholing.
- Vacuum excavation confirms the actual depth of existing utilities without the strike risk of mechanical digging.
- Well maintained equipment on site is a reasonable sign that documentation and restoration are maintained too.

## Key terms

**Walkover tracking system**: A walkover tracking system uses a transmitter in the drill head and a handheld receiver on the surface to read the head's depth, pitch and position. The operator follows it along the bore to keep the path on plan.

**Vacuum excavation**: Vacuum excavation loosens soil with pressurized air or water and removes it with a powerful vacuum. It exposes buried utilities with minimal strike risk and is used for potholing, pit cleanup and removing spent drilling fluid.

**Drilling fluid system**: A drilling fluid system mixes water with additives such as bentonite and pumps it down the drill string. The fluid cools the drill head, stabilizes the hole and carries cuttings back to the entry pit.

**Bucket truck**: A bucket truck is an aerial access vehicle with a boom and work platform. It lets crews work at height on pole lines for strand installation, lashing, overlash and attachment hardware.

*Equipment classes and where each is used*

| Equipment class | Used on | Purpose |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Directional drill and tracking | Bore and crossing projects | Pilot bore, reaming and pullback on plan |
| Fluid mixing unit | Bore projects | Mix and pump drilling fluid suited to the soil |
| Vacuum excavation | Bore projects and repairs | Potholing, pit cleanup and fluid removal |
| Excavation equipment | Structure placement | Setting handholes and vaults |
| Bucket trucks | Aerial projects | Strand, lashing and attachment work at height |
| Fiber blowing and splicing equipment | Fiber installation and restoration | Cable placement, fusion splicing and testing |
| Traffic control devices | Work in or near the road | Protecting crews, drivers and pedestrians |

*Drilling fluid circulation*

## What this means for your project

Equipment availability is a schedule risk that is easy to miss during bid review. If a contractor depends on rentals, your start date depends on someone else's fleet. Owned equipment removes that dependency, and asking about it before award is a fair question.

Site protection is a cost risk. Damage to turf, driveways and curbs from heavy equipment becomes restoration work, complaints to the permitting authority or both. Mats, contained fluid and before and after photographs keep that risk small and documented.

If your procurement process requires equipment detail, request it with the bid so it arrives with the prequalification package rather than delaying award.

## Related reading

- [Equipment and crewsHow owned equipment and employed crews shape scheduling and quality.](https://strillacommunications.com/about/equipment-and-crews)
- [Why owned equipment mattersThe schedule and maintenance case for an owned drilling fleet.](https://strillacommunications.com/blog/why-owned-equipment-matters-in-directional-drilling)
- [Equipment listThe equipment classes used across drilling, aerial and fiber work.](https://strillacommunications.com/services/equipment-list)
- [Directional drilling projectsHow the equipment comes together on a bore from locate to restoration.](https://strillacommunications.com/projects/directional-drilling-projects)
- [Restoration after directional drillingHow sites are put back after the equipment leaves.](https://strillacommunications.com/blog/how-restoration-is-handled-after-directional-drilling)

## Typical scope

- Drilling equipment appropriate to bore length and diameter
- Support units for fluid mixing and management
- Excavation equipment sized to the structures being set
- Vacuum excavation for potholing in congested corridors
- Aerial access for pole line work
- Fiber placement and splicing equipment
- Traffic control devices for work in right of way

## What you receive

- Equipment appropriate to the scope mobilized to site
- Maintained equipment reducing schedule risk from breakdown
- Tracking and locating systems used on every bore
- Test equipment used where optical verification is in scope

## Frequently Asked Questions

**Does Strilla own its equipment or rent it?**: Strilla runs its own directional drills, bucket trucks and fiber equipment, operated by crews it employs. Owned equipment means scheduling is an internal decision rather than a question of rental availability, which tends to tighten exactly when the industry is busiest. It also means the equipment is maintained by the people who rely on it every day.

**Can we see a list of your equipment?**: Specific fleet composition and equipment detail are provided in prequalification packages on request. If your procurement process requires an equipment list, ask for it with the bid request and it will be supplied with the rest of the prequalification information. The equipment assigned to your project is set by the scope, so the list is most useful alongside the route details.

**What equipment is needed for a single road crossing?**: A typical single crossing needs a directional drill with its tracking system, a fluid mixing unit, vacuum excavation for potholing and pit cleanup, the conduit to be installed and traffic control devices if the work is in or near the road. Restoration tools and materials finish the job. The size of the drill is matched to the bore length and diameter.

**Why does vacuum excavation matter on bore projects?**: Vacuum excavation exposes existing utilities without the strike risk of digging with a bucket. It uses air or water to loosen soil and a vacuum to remove it, so crews can confirm the actual depth of a line before the bore crosses it. It also removes drilling fluid from pits, which keeps the site clean and contained.

**How do you protect lawns and driveways from heavy equipment?**: Equipment is staged within permitted limits on protected surfaces. Ground protection mats spread the load on turf and soft ground, and drilling fluid is contained rather than allowed to spread. Driveways, curbs and sidewalks along the equipment path are photographed before and after the work so restoration covers anything that was affected.

**What does equipment condition tell me about a contractor?**: It is a reasonable proxy for how the operation is run. Clean, maintained equipment breaks down less, which protects your schedule, and crews that look after their equipment tend to look after their documentation and site restoration too. Worn equipment with leaks or improvised repairs is a warning sign worth taking seriously before award.

## Related services

- [Directional DrillingTrenchless directional drilling for fiber and utility conduit across Volusia County and Central Florida, planned against verified locates and closed out with documented bore logs.](https://strillacommunications.com/services/directional-drilling)
- [Aerial Cable ConstructionPole line construction, strand placement, lashing, and aerial fiber installation with make-ready coordination and NESC clearance verification.](https://strillacommunications.com/services/aerial-cable-construction)
- [Fiber Splicing & InstallationFusion splicing, fiber placement, termination, and enclosure installation with bidirectional OTDR support and a recorded loss value for every fiber.](https://strillacommunications.com/services/fiber-splicing-installation)
- [Supporting ServicesThe access points, the pole preparation and the paperwork that decide whether a finished route can actually be operated and maintained.](https://strillacommunications.com/services/supporting-services)

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Source: https://strillacommunications.com/projects/equipment-in-the-field