Whether you’re trying to keep veteran drillers satisfied or accelerate the development of your next generation, your equipment can be one of the most effective tools for easing workforce strain. The right rigs and tooling don’t just drill, they help you overcome staffing challenges, simplify scheduling, and sustain productivity when labor is tight.

Consider the impact:

• Efficient, intuitive rigs help retain veteran drillers longer and help new helpers climb the learning curve faster.
• Versatile equipment that completes multiple applications reduces mobilizations and tames scheduling chaos.
• Compact rigs with straightforward controls make the job more approachable for new drillers.

Today, few companies are immune to labor pressure. Whether you’re hesitating to accept new work or struggling to keep pace with current projects, everyone wishes they had another driller. Solving that challenge means engaging experienced drillers while creating a clear, accessible path for new operators.

As Chris Kenney, P.E., Kenney Geotechnical Services (NY), explains:

“It’s difficult these days to get drillers, so anything we can do to make the job a little easier is better for everyone. The 3100GT is so easy to learn. Our engineers and geologists can operate the 3100GT themselves when needed.”

Customer feedback consistently points to the Geoprobe® 31 Series as a strategic advantage in both driller retention and new-driller productivity.

31 Series Drill Rigs Keep Drillers Happy

Why Veteran Drillers Stick Around

A comfortable ride sets the tone for the entire day. For truck-mounted 3100GT users, that means modern amenities like air-conditioning and Bluetooth — small details that make a tough job more manageable.

“The guys love driving the 3100GT and are always saying it rides like a Cadillac,” Kenney said. “Drilling is not an easy job. Anything we can do to make it easier is a plus.”

But comfort is just the start. Drillers highlight real performance advantages:

• More versatility than conventional rigs
• Variable-speed adjustments without power loss
• Hands-free automation for rotation and feed
• Impressive lifting power in difficult conditions

“We send steel into tight conditions where it would typically get stuck, but the lifting ability of the Geoprobe® pulled it right out,” said Dave Johnson, Municipal Testing Labs (NY).

Across both truck and track chassis, drillers point to the centerline head side shift for its alignment, production, and safety benefits.

“Less time adjusting alignment means more time drilling,” Johnson said. “And not swinging the hammer over—it’s much safer.”

Easier Mud Rotary Work

31 Series rigs maintain stable mud flow — critical in heaving sands — helping drillers avoid the power loss typical in challenging formations.

“With two hydraulic pumps, we’re not bleeding pressure anymore,” Johnson said. “A lot of thought went into the design.”

Drillers appreciate being able to maintain rotation and pumping simultaneously.

Photo courtesy of Geoprobe

“The 3126GT just keeps rolling … it’s a compact geotechnical drill rig with really good direct push capabilities,” said Shawn Mathers, Mathers Environmental Drilling (TX).

When soil conditions vary widely across a site, versatility becomes essential.

“The 3100GT can core rock just as easily as it takes Shelby tubes or does mud rotary,” Kenney said.

Digital displays and hands-free functions reduce the physical and mental strain of rotary and coring work.

“The display screen assists the driller to know what is happening downhole and with the drill rig itself,” Johnson said.

Why New Drillers Ramp Up Faster

Veteran drillers rely on intuition — torque, weight on bit, subtle changes in formation. New drillers don’t have that embedded experience. The 31 Series helps bridge that gap.

Digital displays and organized controls provide clear visual indicators that shorten the learning curve.

“The coring interface shows RPMs, temperatures, and bit weight versus doing it all by feel,” said David M. LeGrand Jr., P.E., Catawba Valley Engineering & Testing (NC). “It shows we’re doing as much as we can without forcing things.”

The rigs’ compact size and clean control layout make them less intimidating for new operators. Helpers also handle fewer components thanks to features like the auto drop hammer.

“The 3126GT is helper-friendly. You don’t have to manhandle things as much,” Mathers said.

Together, these features make it easier to teach — turning engineers, geologists, or skilled helpers into capable drillers more quickly.

“Our engineers and geologists can operate the 3100GT themselves when needed,” Kenney said.

Removing Barriers to Entry

Choosing the truck-mounted 3100GT removes one of the industry’s biggest hiring hurdles: the need for a Class A/B CDL.

“You don’t need a CDL to drive the rig,” Kenney said. “The 3100GT is all we need, and we can get around more quickly and economically than a bigger truck-mounted rig.”

Equipment as a Workforce Strategy

Labor shortages aren’t fading anytime soon. But the right equipment can make your operation less dependent on scarce expertise, lighten the burden on veteran drillers, and give new operators the confidence to grow.

A defining element of the Geoprobe® approach is how quickly customer feedback is translated into new product development. That responsiveness is clear in the release of the new 3135GT — a rig that blends compact design with 10,000 ft-lbs of torque and 1,000 RPM.

Early adopters describe dramatic efficiency gains, particularly when coring in shales and limestones to 450 feet.

“With the 3135GT, you don’t need to choose between versatility and power anymore,” said Daniel Yoakum, Environmental Works. “We’re able to get more done in a day, and our clients notice the difference.”

The entire 31 Series lineup shows how thoughtful engineering directly supports workforce retention, faster training, and predictable productivity — even in a challenging labor market.