Every so often, a pumping customer will look over Glenn Larson’s newest septic/commercial pumping service rig, and thoughtfully ask the question, “Isn’t that an awful nice truck for the kind of business you do?’’
Larson, the owner of Enviro Pump-Plus Inc., Balaton, Minn., answers “no,’’ and then explains, “This is my office and I kind of live in this truck. I kind of like to have it look nice.’’
Larson takes pride in his ride. And that’s probably the major reason his flashy and functional 2004 Kenworth rig has been named the 2009 Pumper Classy Truck of the Year. Larson’s truck was the December 2009 Classy Truck of the Month, and was chosen as our annual Classy Truck winner based on reader polling and a panel of COLE Publishing judges.
THE DAIRY BEST
The Kenworth is a former milk truck from Wisconsin dairy farm country, rebuilt as a do-it-all vacuum truck by Advance Pump & Equipment in Peosta, Iowa. Larson credits Advance owner Wayne Vanden Berge for understanding the transformation he envisioned, adding a new Progress 3,800-gallon stainless steel tank with full-open rear door, a 1,000-cfm 957 blower system from National Vacuum Equipment, a hoist and Cougar hydraulic vibrator.
This is the second milk truck Larson has converted for liquid waste service. He says the milk haulers are often traded in with plenty of miles left on the chassis. This one, powered by a 425-hp Caterpillar engine and 10-speed transmission, has the power, performance and rear-end needed to get his jobs done. The conversion involved shortening the frame and removing the tag axle to leave a tandem and a pusher axle for ample carrying capacity.
With the stainless tank, Larson, 57, says this truck should see his company to his retirement and beyond, no matter how long it takes to put down the hose.
“This was the first stainless truck we put together and I will do it again,’’ Larson says. “It’s easy to clean and I know it’s going to last. The truck will eventually wear out, but we can put this tank on a different chassis and we’re going down the road again.’’
Beyond the basics, the truck features a diamond plate tool box manufactured by TL Woods, mounted behind the cab. A custom-made heated water tank is fitted under the tool box. The tank is equipped with heated valves for service during cold Minnesota winters and an onboard load scale. Graphics are by Sybesma Graphics of Sanborn, Iowa.
LOOKS TO MATCH
The splashy graphics were inspired in part by driver/mechanic Jay Fricke, who races stock cars as a hobby and hooked Larson up with the company that provides vinyl graphics for his cars. Larson worked with Sybesma to create waves of maroon, white and silver that were applied from hood to tank, with lettering of the Enviro Pump name across the tank.
“When we brainstormed, we asked how we could get our identity out there, and stand out so people would recognize us,’’ Larson recalls. “When (the truck) pulls into somebody’s yard, they go, ‘wow,’ and that reaction is what we did it for.’’
And while the truck was detailed to look pretty, Larson says the way it was done, the looks will last. The only wear is some stone chips on the wheels and a few blemishes on the hose trays from a heavy workload, including septic pumping and commercial jobs moving sand, grit coal and wet corn.
“We can’t baby them,’’ Larson says of his fleet. “They’re designed to work. The stainless won’t chip and the graphics are up far enough that they won’t get scarred.
“It’s a good, efficient truck and we can get into a lot of different applications with it,’’ Larson continues. “It just does a tremendous job of moving material and getting the job done so we can get onto the next job.’’
FAMILY TRADITION
Larson’s father, Floyd, started the pumping business in rural southwest Minnesota in 1963, calling his company Floyd Larson Septic Tank Cleaning. He retired in 1989 and Glenn Larson took over, changing the name to reflect the more varied services offered. Larson owns the business with his wife, Karen. She and their daughter, Elizabeth, hold down the office while Larson and a handful of technicians are in the field.
In addition to the Classy Truck winner, Larson runs four vacuum trucks. They are a 1995 International, another former milk hauler, with a 3,500-gallon aluminum tank and National Vacuum Equipment pump; a 1989 International with a 2,500-gallon aluminum tank added in 2000 and NVE pump; a 2008 International portable restroom service truck with a 1,000-gallon waste/250-gallon freshwater/250-gallon deodorant mix stainless steel tank from Best Enterprises and Masport pump; and a 1998 Peterbilt industrial vac loading truck from Cusco.
To care for his fleet in a frigid northern climate, Larson has a heated garage where the most frequently used vehicles are parked. Fricke and another driver are diesel mechanics, so they help Larson stay on top of routine maintenance. With corrosive salt on the roads in winter, constant washing is a priority.
“Our shop is equipped with a pressure washer, and we bring them in over the drain and wash them down. You keep them neat and clean so they look good on the road,’’ Larson says. “The guys are told to keep their trucks looking good, and by and large they do a good job.’’
There is more behind the motivation for clean trucks. Larson says it goes back to his father, who always stressed how looking good promoted professionalism.
“I remember when I was 11 years old and I started helping out, and my father said, ‘Just because you pump waste, that doesn’t mean you have to look like you rolled in it,’ ’’ Larson recalls. “I was raised that if you provide a good service for people, they will call you back. We always tried to be honest and give customers good value for their dollar. We look at this as a professional service, no different than hiring a doctor or a lawyer or a dentist.’’
HAT’S OFF TO THE WINNERS
Congratulations to Glenn Larson for winning the 2009 Classy Truck of the Year award and landing his truck on this month’s cover. And kudos to all 12 monthly Classy Truck winners over the past year. Your determination to put good-looking and high-performance service trucks on the road continues to raise the reputation of our industry.
SEE YOU AT THE EXPO
Excitement is building for this month’s Pumper & Cleaner Environmental Expo International at the Kentucky Exposition Center in Louisville, Ky. The tradeshow is something we at Pumper look forward to all year long. It’s my best opportunity to talk to old friends in the industry and meet many new ones. And that’s where you come in.
The COLE Publishing editorial team will have a booth on the Expo exhibit floor, and I invite you to stop by and introduce yourself. We’d love to hear about your company and the issues you feel are most critical to the industry today. The discussions we have with pumpers at the Expo have a tremendous influence on the topics we tackle in these pages throughout the year. Tell us what kind of information you’d like to see in upcoming issues.
See you all in Louisville!
