Transwest Trucks Logo
  • Transwest Trucks Logo
    • Shop Trucks
    • Types
    • Makes
    • Models
    • Shop All Trucks
    Types
    • Hydrovacs Icon Hydrovacs
    • Vacuum Trucks Icon Vacuum Trucks
    • Water Trucks Icon Water Trucks
    • Service Trucks Icon Service Trucks
    • Insulated Box Trucks Icon Insulated Box Trucks
    Shop All Trucks
    Makes
    • Foremost Logo
    • Rival Hydrovac Logo
    Shop All Trucks
    Models

    Featured Models

    • Rival T10 Hydrovac
    • Rival T7
    • Foremost 2000 Hydrovacs
    • Foremost 1600 Hydrovacs
    • Foremost 1200 Hydrovacs
    Shop All Trucks
  • Financing
  • Service
  • Parts
  • Graphics
  • Locations
  • Careers
  • Blog
  • Videos
0
Blog / Hydrovac Excavation: What Makes the Difference?

Hydrovac Excavation: What Makes the Difference?

Service
The Summit Truck Equipment Team
The Summit Truck Equipment Team
Published Jun 09, 2025
A white hydrovac truck

When taking on tough jobs, it helps to have strong, durable equipment that you can rely on. Excavation, or the removal of soil and rock from an area, is an essential component of many construction jobs. Excavation is often necessary to prepare a site for construction, and traditional methods like shovels and backhoes don’t always cut it. When you have a job too big for traditional equipment to handle, hydrovac trucks can help you accomplish everything you need and more. 

How do hydrovac trucks work?

Hydrovacs are more than just a simple truck. Equipped with a powerful vacuum system and high-pressure water, this specialized vehicle is valuable for excavation sites everywhere. Like giant dental cleaning tools, hydrovac trucks break up dirt, soil, clay, and other materials by expelling water at high speeds. Then, using their handy vacuum equipment, hydrovacs vacuum the debris and simplify the clean-up process. The debris remains in the truck’s debris tank until the driver empties it out. With hydrovacs, the truck and vacuum start as separate items until a manufacturer merges them together to form a new vehicle. Once a vacuum is attached to the body of a truck, it becomes one cohesive vehicle: a hydrovac truck.

What are the advantages of hydrovac trucks?

Impressive precision

Though their size might lead you to believe otherwise, hydrovac trucks possess impeccable precision. Known for their ability to do work in tight spaces, hydrovac trucks can perform tasks with amazing accuracy. This comes into play when performing tasks like soil trenching, the process of digging narrow trenches in dirt, or sewage system repairs. 

Because hydrovacs are so exact, they can also get work done efficiently without causing damage to surrounding areas. Hydrovacs are also capable of remote digging, meaning their hoses can get into tight spaces while the truck is parked farther away. The hydrovac’s precision sets it apart from other excavation tools. 

Safety first

More than anything else, safety is of the utmost priority when doing construction work. It’s important that equipment is not only efficient but also safe, keeping workers out of harm’s way as they use it. By taking on the brunt of the hard work, hydrovac trucks minimize the amount of human labor required for any given excavation job and eliminate risks of injury during the excavation process. Furthermore, modern hydrovacs include an assortment of safety features. Technology like 360 cameras, emergency shut-offs, safety railings, and boom sensors contribute to hydrovac safety and help drivers avoid hazards.

Hydrovacs also keep workers out of the cold, as they can penetrate frozen ground that humans wouldn’t be able to dig through without excessive exertion. If you value safety on your excavation sites, you’ll definitely appreciate what hydrovacs can do. 

Unparalleled efficiency 

There are times when you have to compromise speed for the sake of diligence. Luckily, where hydrovacs are concerned, precision and efficiency go hand in hand. By performing work accurately and without causing damage, hydrovac trucks let you skip the frustration of clean-up and repair. A hydrovac’s debris tank also moves projects along faster, sucking up refuse and eliminating the need for a truck dedicated to clean-up. When you use a hydrovac, you work smarter instead of harder. 

Dig smarter with Summit Truck Equipment

Once you try out a hydrovac, you’ll never go back to other methods of excavation. By working precisely, safely, and quickly, these impressive trucks make excavation easy. If you’re interested in getting behind the wheel of a hydrovac, view the high-quality hydrovac trucks available on our website or stop by one of our locations today for a better look. 

Trucks For Sale

Shop All Trucks
  • 5

    2026 Freightliner 108SD

    New Hydrovac at Summit of Red Deer, AB

    • An icon of a scale

      24,300 GVWR

    • An icon of a fuel container

      Diesel

    Contact For Price
    • See Details
  • 5

    2026 Freightliner 108SD

    New Hydrovac at Summit of Red Deer, AB

    • An icon of a scale

      24,300 GVWR

    • An icon of a fuel container

      Diesel

    Contact For Price
    • See Details
  • 4

    2025 Western Star 47X

    New Hydrovac at Summit of Bradford, ON

    • An icon of a scale

      24,300 GVWR

    • An icon of a fuel container

      Diesel

    Contact For Price
    • See Details
  • 5

    2024 Ford F6L

    New Service Truck at Summit of Red Deer, AB

    • An icon of a scale

      11,995 GVWR

    • An icon of a fuel container

      Diesel

    • A minimal icon representing a speedometer

      27 KMS

    Contact For Price
    • See Details
Shop All Trucks
Transwest Trucks Logo

With impeccable service, high quality parts, and an array of financing options, Summit Truck Equipment is your trusted source for all things hydrovac. We  sell vehicles produced thoughtfully by dependable fleet vehicle manufacturers like Foremost and Rival, making us the number one choice for many loyal customers. Shop service trucks at Summit Truck Equipment.

Share

Email

Email

Facebook

Facebook

SMS

SMS

Twitter

Twitter

Journey into Other Topics

Our industry experts are here to help.

Service Tips Parts & Accessories Truck Types News Finance

Keep Reading

  • A worker uses hydroexcavation to repair utilities
    5 Best Hydrovac Maintenance Practices To Extend the Life of Your Hydrovac

    Your hydrovac is a beast, chewing through mud and blasting apart stubborn soil. However, every beast requires upkeep: ignore it, and it can lead to lost jobs and expensive repairs.  The good ne...

  • A pond on a sunny day
    Pond Maintenance with Hydrovacs | Detention & Retention Cleaning

    Hydrovac excavation is revolutionizing the way facilities, cities, and property managers approach pond maintenance. Unlike heavy machinery that can harm liners or vegetation, a hydrovac operates with...

  • Civil worker uses hydrovac excavation to expose aged utilitie
    Safety First: 5 Ways Hydroexcavation is Safer Than Traditional Excavation

    What is hydroexcavation? Excavation is an arduous task, but it’s also a necessary element of work like landscaping, sign installation, and utility repairs. While spades, shovels, and other e...

  • A trench with pipes installed
    Hydrovacs: The Key to Successful Trenching

    Trenching, the process of digging narrow holes, is a necessary component of construction efforts like utility or drainage system installation and landscaping. Typically deeper than they are wide, tren...

  • Laborer uses hydrovac wand to expose buried utilities
    7 Excavation Types Made Easier With a Hydrovac

    Excavation, the process of digging into a surface to create space for something new, is at the heart of all great architecture. It’s a vital part of landscaping, installing roads, and putting up...

  • A hand is seen holding a pen and pushing a calculator button
    Financing a Hydrovac: 7 Things to Know

    Buying a hydrovac truck is a big investment, but it doesn’t have to be a headache. With the right financing plan, you can make a budget-friendly move while putting your new high-end, powerful eq...

  • A snowy path between trees
    Winter and Hydrovacs: Cold Weather Tips For Safe Excavation

    Winter is coming. Cold, snowy days sound cozy when you're inside with a blanket and a hot cup of coffee. But if you're running hydrovac equipment, it’s time to brace yourself.  Excav...

  • Civil worker inspects hydrovac excavation exposing underground utility ducts to safely daylight utilities before trenching.
    Why The Capacity of Your Hydrovac Matters

    Why the capacity of your hydrovac matters Not all hydrovac trucks are created equal, and yes, capacity plays a significant role (pun intended). But it's not just about the size or horsepower. ...

View All Truck Articles

Trucks for sale by city

  • Red Deer, AB

    26 Trucks for Sale

  • Bradford, ON

    8 Trucks for Sale

Trucks for sale by state

  • Alberta

    26 Trucks for Sale

  • Ontario

    8 Trucks for Sale

Mountains
  • Hydrovacs
  • Service Trucks
  • Vacuum Trucks
  • Water Trucks
  • Insulated Box Trucks
  • Financing
  • Service
  • Parts
  • Graphics
  • Locations
  • Careers
  • Blog
  • Videos

Inventory Search

Summit Truck Equipment Logo
©2025 Summit Truck Equipment Privacy Policy Terms of Use Anti-fraud Disclosure Web Development By the Pixel
Facebook Icon LinkedIn Icon YouTube Icon
Mountains

Contact Us

What vehicle type are you looking for?

Interested in this vehicle?

Contact Summit

Financing Preference
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Estimated Monthly Payments

*Estimated payment is based on vehicle price (excluding taxes and fees) and associated lender rates for qualified buyers, term length and any associated trade-in equity or down payment from buyer. Terms may vary. To see if you qualify for specific financing discounts, please contact your local Summit dealership.

Live
Live

Shop this vehicle