As liquid waste haulers have been parking service rigs for winter hibernation, it’s a good time to step back and take a look at some of the nicest vacuum trucks to hit the road in 2009.
We’re talking Pumper Classy Trucks, and you can see all 12 monthly winners lined up in this issue for our annual Classy Truck of the Year competition. I invite you to take a look at the trucks here, then go online at www.pumper.com and vote for your favorite entry by Dec. 23.
A combination of your votes and votes from our staff judges at COLE Publishing will choose the top truck for 2009. The winning contractor’s rig will be featured on the cover of the February issue of Pumper, which will be distributed at the Pumper & Cleaner Environmental Expo International Feb. 24-27, 2010, in Louisville, Ky.
I have a few observations to share about the latest crop of Classy Trucks and the dedicated pumpers who contributed photos and write-ups about their new service vehicles.
First, I’d like to thank the truck owners for detailing their rigs and shooting the photos. It seems like this work is usually done during the busy season, and it says a lot about drivers’ pride in their truck when they give up daylight pumping hours to share their ride with the rest of us. Kudos to you, and we invite everyone to contribute truck photos for the 2010 contest.
Secondly, it’s great to see that a down economy hasn’t dampened the enthusiasm of contractors who continue to believe that a good-looking and smooth-operating service truck is a key to success in the liquid waste industry.
Going into what promised to be a challenging year for pumpers, I didn’t know what to expect in Classy Truck submissions. But when I look at the trucks that appeared in the past 12 issues, I am impressed with the investment can-do small business owners are willing to make despite gloom and doom economic forecasts. These Classy Truck contractors didn’t spare expense, often sticking to their guns when it came to choosing a bigger tank, starting with a bigger and more expensive chassis, and ordering optional equipment and better graphics.
Thirdly, while basic white is always a popular choice for service trucks, entrants in the 2009 Classy Truck competition often opted for a bold splash of color in their new septic service rigs. Take a look and you’ll see full-on red truck/tank combos, a striking purple over canary yellow color scheme, full-tank vinyl graphics with an environmental theme, and more chrome accents than we’ve seen in the past.
What the quality of these dozen trucks says to me is that these contractors remain optimistic about the future of this industry and still believe that a professional presentation is critical to building their business. Their upbeat outlook bodes well for a brighter and more profitable 2010.
