Transporters are an underappreciated tool, as anyone who has tried using one for the first time will tell you. This type of vehicle is largely regarded as a luxury toy, a vanity purchase for discerning amateur gardeners or professional landscapers, and the overriding view is either that they can be substituted for a good old wheelbarrow or trailer, or that they serve no purpose, because carrying everything by hand is sufficient.
All these considerations have a grain of truth to them: a trailer, perhaps attached to a two wheel tractor (read the article), undoubtedly has more space and load capacity, whereas those who manage to get everything done using a conventional wheelbarrow simply don’t see the need for a transporter. That said, as soon as you understand what transporters are designed to do and why, it becomes immediately apparent how much of a boon they can be for conventional farm work.
Features
The first thing to point out is that transporters are designed to carry heavy loads (up to half a tonne) over complex and non-linear terrain, including mud, climbs and descents.
They are vehicles that guarantee efficiency and safety: efficiency because they can reach places where other vehicles fear to tread, such as a hillside terrace accessible solely via a narrow path that is too steep or rugged for a two wheel tractor to traverse, or even worse, when rainfall blocks off access by everything barring a tracked vehicle; safety, because a fully loaded compact tracked vehicle is much safer than other solutions, whether travelling uphill or downhill. Furthermore, transporters avoid physical exertion, which can be intense when you have heavy loads to carry; occupational health is increasingly recognised as an important aspect of modern agriculture, and certain efforts or movements can affect the back or muscles with long-lasting consequences. Preserving health through adhering to guidelines on proper lifting and transporting methods benefits the wellbeing of both hobbyists and professionals.
All things considered, then, it's well worth trying a transporter. In every region of Italy there are Nibbi stockists that can demonstrate the differences between the various transporter models and let you take a test drive, in addition to providing attentive after-sales support should you decide to purchase one.
In Italian we have a saying: la terra è bassa (the land is low), meaning that working the land can be an arduous, backbreaking job; this is true, but the situation can be improved. With a little forethought and with the help of technology, you can make your work much more enjoyable, quick and effective.
