The modern Tractor-Loader_backhoe has become the most useful machine in general construction, and it has gained that reputation since its introduction in the laste 1950's. This reputation as the most useful is due to the wide-ranging tasks that the machine is capable of performing. These wide-ranging jobs, in turn, demand that operators have the knowledge, skills, and experience required for safety and productivity. The first edition of this book, Operating Techniques for the Tractor-Loader-Backhoe, published in 1983, was written simply as an information source covering standard machine operations and procedures. Over the years, training programs sought it out for its practical and detailed information for operators and training programs, such as: guidelines, safety considerations, and preventing damage to existing utilities.