NCCCO Service Truck Crane

It covers service truck cranes only: truck-mounted telescopic cranes, usually radio remote or pendant controlled, with shorter booms and lower capacities than other fixed-cab cranes. If you need to run any Telescopic Boom-Fixed Cab crane, you need the full TSS certification rather than STC.

It is 80 multiple-choice questions with a 90-minute time limit, delivered by online proctored, event-based, or test-center testing. That averages just over a minute per question, so load chart and operations questions need to be answered quickly rather than labored over.

Operations is the largest at 44%, followed by Technical Knowledge at 21%, Manufacturers' Load Charts at 17%, and Site at 17%. Operations alone is close to half the written exam, so it deserves the largest share of study time, with load charts close behind because chart errors also show up in practical tasks.

The written exam is $210 per attempt, across any modality (OPT, EOT, or TCT). The practical exam is $70 per attempt and is administered by a CCO-credentialed Practical Proctor. Both exams are required, and fees are paid through the myCCO portal at the time of application.

You demonstrate proficiency on a service truck crane: a pre-operational shift inspection with explanation of deficiencies, moving a load chain to a landing circle, placing a test weight in a pole circle, negotiating a zigzag corridor forward and in reverse without using telescoping on the reverse, and safe shutdown. Unsafe acts may result in immediate disqualification.

Certification is valid for five years and is aligned with ASME B30.5. The program is accredited by ANAB. Plan recertification before your five-year mark so you are not caught without a credential while scheduling a new written and practical exam.

You must be at least 18 years old and comply with CCO's Substance Abuse Policy and Code of Ethics. After that, you apply online through the myCCO portal, pay exam fees, take the written exam, then schedule the practical with a CCO Practical Proctor at an approved site.

Start with the candidate handbook exam outline, then work Operations and Technical Knowledge first since together they are 65% of the written exam. Add Manufacturers' Load Charts practice next, because net versus gross capacity and load moment questions are easy to miss, and finish with Site topics like ground stability and power line hazards.

On the practical, unsafe acts can disqualify you immediately, and precision tasks punish rushed boom and swing inputs, lifting the chain after ground contact, or touching obstacles. On the written side, candidates lose points by skipping load chart math and by underestimating the Operations domain, which is 44% of the exam.

CCO publishes a candidate handbook with the exam outline, program overview, reference list, and policies, plus a list of exam reference materials used by subject matter experts. You can also locate an Accredited Training Provider or other training near you, and purchase ASME standards through the CCO store.