2011 Classy Truck of the Year

2011 Classy Truck  of the Year
Jim’s Portable Toilets and Septic Service

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Another calendar year has flown by, and it’s time once again for the equivalent of Top Gear in the world of vacuum trucks. It’s a beauty pageant of steel and internal combustion engines. Welcome to the 6th annual Classy Truck of the Year competition.

The past year brought a parade of beautiful and highly functional vacuum trucks into the Truck Corner garage, where we peered under the hood, crawled through the cab, checked out the creature comforts, and generally gave the “white glove’’ treatment to the Pumper readers’ best rigs.

They passed with flying colors. Fancy two-tone paint jobs, crisp graphics and a mirror-like finish on the painted steel, aluminum and stainless steel tanks. The roster of new and refurbished rigs published in these pages throughout 2011 had it all. The entries came from far and wide, out East in Rhode Island, up North in Wisconsin, South in balmy Florida and West to the Show-Me State of Missouri.

Which of the monthly Classy Trucks from the past year is the best? That’s up to you!

We’ve parked all the trucks here so you can take a good look. Size them up for handy work features, power and capacity, and looks that turn heads as they rumble down the road. Just like the past five years, your vote will help determine which of 2011’s best vacuum trucks lands on the cover of our February 2012 issue … the prestigious spot fronting the magazine distributed at the Pumper & Cleaner Environmental Expo International.

When you’ve had a good look, proceed to the voting booth at www.pumper.com and cast a ballot for your favorite truck from the Class of 2011. You have until Dec. 23 to make your vote count. Now go kick some tires!

 

Johnson Septic Tank Inc.

Cantonment, Fla.

This red, white and blue 2005 Mack Vision with 3,600-gallon U.S. Tank steel tank was built for owner Billy Johnson by National Truck Center. Powering the rig is a 330 hp E7 engine tied to a 10-speed Eaton Fuller transmission. Vacuum is provided by a Jurop LC 420 water-cooled pump. The truck features a hoist system and work lights, and is used for residential septic and commercial grease trap work.

 

Williams & Bay Pumping Services

Cedar, Mich.

Joe Williams’ latest septic service truck is a red 2011 Freightliner M2-112 with 5,200-gallon aluminum tank and NVE 607 Challenger pump built out by Imperial Industries Inc. It’s powered by a Mercedes-Benz MBE 4000 450 hp engine tied to an Eaton Fuller 9-speed transmission. Quad axles distribute the weight of multiple residential septic tank cleaings performed by driver Shaun Smedley.

 

Tillman Septic Pumping Services

Jacksonville, Fla.

Owner Kathi Tillman uses this all-black 2005 Mack Vision from 27th Trucks Inc. to service residential and commercial customers. Powered by a 380 hp engine and 10-speed transmission, the truck carries a 4,000-gallon steel tank and Jurop LC 420 425-cfm pump. The paint job matches the trucks Tillman owns for a construction company.

 

Fimple Septic Service

St. Joseph, Mo.

Owner Mike Fimple’s newest service truck is a 2002 Freightliner FL70 rebuilt in 2008 by Michigan Vacuum Trucks Inc. The rig is powered by a 3126 Cat engine tied to a 6-speed manual transmission. The working end of the truck includes a 2,500-gallon steel tank, with suction from a Masport HXL 400 cfm pump. The truck performs mostly residential septic and restaurant grease trap service.

 

Yooper Septic & Waste

Rapid River, Mich.

Owner John deVeaux started his new septic service business with this red, white and blue 2004 Freightliner M2 rig built out from a generic box truck by Imperial Industries Inc. The truck has a 2,300-gallon steel tank, Masport 360 cfm liquid-cooled pump, and is powered by a Caterpillar 3126E 230 hp engine tied to a Fuller 6-speed transmission. The truck is used for septic and portable sanitation pumping.

 

Pete’s Pump Septic Service LLC

Tomahawk, Wis.

Owner Tracy Van Ryen-Kiefer’s 2011 International 7500 rig with MaxxForce Diesel engine and Eaton Fuller 10-speed transmission was bought from Mid-State Truck Service and built out by Imperial Industries Inc. with a 3,800-gallon tank and NVE 360 Challenger pump. Happy with the gray-and-white paint scheme, Van Ryen-Kiefer plans to have the rest of the company’s fleet painted to match.

 

Stremme Septic Services Inc.

Sumner, Ill

In 2010, Doug Stremme bought this 2003 International 4400 septic service truck and had it refurbished by Allan’s Welding & Machine Inc. The frame was shortened and a 2,300-gallon Lely Mfg. steel vacuum tank was transferred from another truck in Stremme’s fleet. The septic and portable sanitation rig gets power from a DT 466 230 hp engine and 6-speed transmission. Vacuum is provided by a Masport HXL 75 230 cfm pump.

 

Countryside Septic Service LLC

Chippewa Falls, Wis.

Owner-operator Tom Jakubowicz had Imperial Industries Inc. build out a 2009 International 7600 with a 3,900-gallon stainless steel tank and Wittig RFW150 pump. The white truck with green accents is powered by a 425 hp Cummins ISM engine tied to an Allison transmission with auto shift. It’s used for residential and commercial septic system and industrial hauling.

 

E-Z Waste Systems

Westerly, R.I.

Chris Beck bought a blue-and-chrome 2006 Peterbilt 379 with a 4,000-gallon aluminum Amthor International tank and National Vacuum Equipment Challenger pump. Powered by a Caterpillar C-15 engine tied to an 18-speed Eaton Fuller transmission, the rig started life as a flatbed car carrier. Driver Rob Beck uses the truck for residential and commercial pumping work.

 

A.J. McDonald Company Inc.

Pasadena, Md.

This 2011 Peterbilt truck with a 3,000-gallon steel tank from Lely Manufacturing Inc. is the latest service rig for owners Jim and Mike McDonald. The truck celebrates the company’s 70th anniversary. It’s powered by a 350 hp Cummins engine tied to a 6-speed automatic Allison transmission and gets vacuum from a Wittig RFW water-cooled pump. The rig is used for pumping septic and grease trap waste.

 

Jim’s Portable Toilets and Septic Service

Whitefish, Ontario, Canada

Jim Sproule owns this red-and-white 2010 International MaxxForce 10 with 350 hp engine and 4,000-gallon steel tank from Transway Systems. With a 10-speed overdrive Eaton Fuller transmission and Fruitland 500 pump with cab controls, the truck is used for commercial and residential pumping jobs.

 

TSF Co. Inc.

Evansville, Ind.

Owner Mat Schenk converted a 1995 Kenworth T-600 semi truck for septic service. The rig is powered by a 425 hp Caterpillar engine and 10-speed Eaton Fuller transmission. Schenk replaced the sleeper cab with an aluminum panel, then hired Kennedy Tank to roll the steel tank and dish heads, which were welded at TSF. The 3,500-gallon tank is matched to an H400W Masport pump.



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