What Is Hiab Transport and When Do You Need It?

A Hiab truck is a heavy vehicle fitted with a hydraulic crane (also called a truck-mounted loader crane) that allows it to lift and position heavy loads without needing separate lifting gear or forklifts.

In short, it’s both a truck and a crane in one.

That built-in flexibility makes it ideal for moving freight that’s too bulky, heavy, or awkward to load by hand — anything from concrete panels and shipping containers to machinery or palletised goods.

Because the crane is mounted directly to the truck chassis, a Hiab can:

Whether you’re managing one-off deliveries or regular B2B freight, Hiab trucks offer a level of control and reliability that standard transport can’t always match.

Here’s why businesses across Auckland and New Zealand choose Hiab transport:

Safety is at the core of every Hiab lift we complete. Whether we’re delivering construction materials, machinery, or containers, every job is planned and executed with precision and compliance in mind.

At RPC Logistics, we maintain strict safety procedures across our Hiab operations to protect our team, our customers, and your freight.

Here’s how we do it:

• Regular Training: Our drivers and operators undergo ongoing Hiab and lifting safety training to stay current with best practices and industry standards.

• Team & Customer Meetings: We hold regular internal safety briefings and collaborative meetings with customers to align on safe operating procedures.

• Health & Safety Reviews: Mutual Health & Safety meetings can be arranged with senior management to ensure transparency and continuous improvement.

• Certified Equipment: All lifting gear and equipment are routinely inspected and certified by external auditors, ensuring everything we use meets or exceeds compliance requirements.

• Detailed Lift Plans: Every lift requires a site-specific lift plan, completed by our Hiab driver and signed off by the site manager before work begins.

Pictured here is an example of our lifting gear — each chain is tagged with a certificate of inspection, so you can be confident every lift meets certified safety standards.