What Is a Mobile Crane?
A mobile crane is a crane built on its own wheels or tracks, so it can drive or be hauled to a site, set up, and start lifting without a permanent foundation. The boom extends from the carrier, outriggers or tracks keep it stable, and a certified operator controls the lift.
You may also hear them called hydraulic cranes or truck cranes, and some people say hire instead of rent. The idea is the same: bring the lift to the job instead of building around it. Every MR Crane mobile crane rental includes an experienced, certified operator.
Where a Mobile Crane Earns Its Place on Site
When the load is heavy, the reach is long, or the lift is high, a mobile crane is usually the right tool. Here are common jobs for them:
- Steel, precast, and structural placement on commercial builds
- Rooftop equipment, including HVAC units and mechanical systems
- Tower crane assembly and equipment support
- Utility, bridge, and infrastructure work
- Industrial equipment moves and plant shutdowns
- Single lifts that would take days with smaller equipment
What Our Clients Say
At MR Crane Service, every project is a commitment fulfilled. Our clients trust us for our safety standards, on-time performance, and precision in every lift. Below are some experiences from companies that have worked with our team and seen firsthand the value of a reliable, professional crane service.
Types of Mobile Cranes: All-Terrain, Rough Terrain, and Mini
Most mobile cranes fall into three groups. All-terrain cranes, like our Liebherr LTM units, travel public roads and still perform on rough ground at the site. Rough terrain cranes, like our Grove, Terex, and Tadano units, are built for unpaved and uneven job sites. A mini crane, like our Maeda MC285, is a compact crawler crane for tight access where a bigger machine can’t go.
Which one fits depends on the lift, the ground, and the access. Tell us about the job and we’ll recommend the right unit.
Mobile Crane vs Boom Truck: How to Choose
Choose a boom truck when the load is moderate, the site is tight, and you want to deliver and place material with one unit. Choose a mobile crane when the load is heavier, the reach is longer, or the lift is higher than a boom truck can handle. Our boom trucks run from 10 to 22 tons and our mobile cranes run from 2.8 to 220 tons, so there’s room to step up when the job demands it. Not sure which fits? Send us the load weight, radius, and height. We’ll tell you which unit makes sense, even when the answer is the smaller one.
Associations and Industry Standards
We stay connected to the industry and hold ourselves to the standards that matter on real job sites.
What Affects Mobile Crane Rental Cost?
Every job is different, so we quote each one. Four things move the price most: the size of the crane, how long you need it, how far it has to travel, and how complex the lift is. A certified operator is included on every rental. To quote your lift, we need:
- What you're lifting and how much it weighs
- How far the load travels (radius) and how high it goes
- The job site address and ground conditions
- Space for outriggers or crane mats and truck access
- Overhead hazards such as power lines
- Your dates and how long you need the unit
Mobile Crane Capacity: Units From 2.8 to 220 Tons
A crane’s rated capacity is only part of the picture. What it can lift at any moment depends on boom length and radius, so a lift that’s easy up close can be far too heavy at full reach. Here is our fleet at a glance:
- 2.8 tons, Maeda MC285: compact mini crane for tight access and small footprints
- 30 to 40 tons, Tadano TR-300XL, Terex T340, and Terex T340XL: rough terrain cranes for general site work
- 50 tons, Grove RT600E and RT650E: rough terrain cranes for heavier lifts on uneven ground
- 70 tons, Liebherr LTM 1070-4.2: all-terrain crane with road mobility
- 120 tons, Liebherr LTM 1100-5.2 and LTM 1120-4.1: all-terrain cranes for heavy lifts and longer reach
- 220 tons, Liebherr LTM 1220-5.2: the top of our fleet for the biggest lifts
Looking for a 100 ton or 200 ton crane? Our 120 and 220 ton Liebherrs cover both. Send us the lift and we’ll confirm the right unit.
Service Support That Keeps Units on the Job
A crane that’s down is a job that stalls. MR Tech, our sister company, handles mobile heavy duty mechanical service. Inspections, repairs, and maintenance are done in house by people who know this fleet. That means fewer surprises and faster fixes when your schedule is tight.
Victoria Roots, Province-Wide Reach
MR Crane has served Victoria since 2006 and has grown into a team of 60+ across sales, dispatch, operations, safety, and field crews. When you call about a mobile crane, you reach the people who plan and run the lift.
Planned Lifts, Not Improvised Ones
Before a crane sets up, we look at ground conditions, overhead hazards, outrigger space, and the weight and radius of the load. Our operators work to WorkSafeBC and CSA requirements, and every lift is planned before the unit arrives.
Mobile Crane Rental on Vancouver Island, the Lower Mainland, Sea to Sky, and the Okanagan
We rent mobile cranes across British Columbia: Victoria, Langford, Nanaimo, and Courtenay on Vancouver Island, Vancouver, Burnaby, Surrey, and Langley in the Lower Mainland, Squamish and Whistler along the Sea to Sky; and Kelowna, Vernon, Penticton, and Kamloops in the Okanagan and BC Interior. Wherever the job site is, we send the right unit and a crew that knows the territory.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a mobile crane?
A mobile crane is a crane mounted on wheels or tracks so it can travel to a job site, set up, and lift without a permanent foundation. It is the most common crane for construction, industrial, and infrastructure lifts because it arrives ready to work.
How much does it cost to rent or hire a mobile crane?
The price depends on the size of the crane, how long you need it, how far it travels, and the complexity of the lift. Because every job is different, we quote each one. Send us the load weight, radius, height, site address, and dates, and we’ll come back with a clear quote. A certified operator is included.
What size mobile crane do I need?
It depends on the weight of the load, how far it has to reach, and how high it has to go. A crane’s rated capacity drops as the boom extends, so a larger crane is often needed than the load weight suggests. Tell us the lift and we’ll recommend the unit, from a 2.8 ton mini crane up to 220 tons.
What is the difference between an all-terrain crane and a rough terrain crane?
An all-terrain crane travels public roads and also handles rough ground at the site, so it moves between jobs easily. A rough terrain crane is built for unpaved and uneven sites and is typically set up and worked in one area. We run both: Liebherr all-terrain units and Grove, Tadano, and Terex rough terrain units.
Does mobile crane rental include an operator?
Yes. Every MR Crane mobile crane rental includes an experienced, certified operator. Lifts are planned in advance and run to WorkSafeBC and CSA requirements.
Do you have a small or mini crane for tight spaces?
Yes. Our Maeda MC285 is a 2.8 ton compact crawler crane built for tight access and small footprints. If you aren’t sure whether it can handle the lift, send us the details and we’ll confirm.
What information do you need to quote my job?
The weight of the load, how far and how high it needs to go, the job site address and ground conditions, space for outriggers or mats, any overhead hazards like power lines, and your dates. The more detail we have, the faster we can quote.
Where does MR Crane offer mobile crane rental?
Across Vancouver Island, the Lower Mainland, Sea to Sky, and the Okanagan, including Victoria, Nanaimo, Vancouver, Whistler, Kelowna, and Kamloops. Wherever the job site is, we send the right unit with a certified operator.
Request a Mobile Crane
Tell us the load, the lift height, and the job site. We’ll come back with the right unit and a clear quote.