Telescopic handlers are a bit similar to forklifts. It possesses one telescopic boom which extends forwards and upwards from the truck, and a counterweight in the rear. It functions a lot more like a crane than a forklift. The boom can be outfitted with various kinds of attachments. The most common attachment is pallet forks, but the operator can also attach a muck grab, lift table or bucket. Also called a telehandler, this particular type of equipment is usually used in agriculture and industry.
A telehandler is often used to transport loads to and from places which would be hard for a standard forklift to access. Telehandlers are usually used to unload pallets from in a trailer. They are also more practical than a crane for carrying loads onto rooftops and other high places.
There is only one major limitation in using telehandlers. Despite rear counterweights, the weight-bearing boom could cause the vehicle to destabilize while it extends. Thus, the lifting capacity lessens as the distance between the front of the wheels and the centre of the load increases.
Telehandlers were developed within England by the Matbro company. Their design was based mainly on articulated cross country forklifts used in forestry. Early versions consisted of a driver's cab on the rear section and a centrally mounted boom on the front, but these days the design which is most common has a rigid chassis with a side cab and rear mounted boom.