When Mike Oberg was speccing his first truck back in 2000, he wanted a color that set his vehicle apart. He settled on a bright purple.

“I did not want a color that anyone else had,” Oberg says. “I picked purple, but did not want lavender; it needed to be a darker purple that stands out.”

His choice was a success. “When people see the truck, they know who it belongs to without even seeing the name.”

A 2015 Kenworth T880 truck with a 5,200-gallon aluminum tank — September Pumper’s Classy Truck — is the latest addition to Oberg’s company, Mike’s Septic in Eagle River, Wisconsin.

“We’re very particular how our trucks look,” Oberg says. “We want the trucks to look good and impressive. Image means a lot.

“We’re serving some expensive homes and you don’t want to drive in there with a dirty truck. Having a classy truck definitely helps our business and shows we’re serious about the services we provide. Our customers don’t want to see some dirty truck showing up in their driveways, even if we’re there to empty their septic tanks.”

The interior of the 2015 Kenworth impresses, too. It has AM/FM and Sirius satellite radio, air-ride, air conditioning and power locks and windows. “It’s nice inside. We want our driver to be comfortable,” Oberg says.

Mike’s Septic has three other trucks — one semi-tanker and two straight tankers — all boasting the same purple color.

While his newest truck has an aluminum tank, Oberg’s other three have steel tanks. He wants to see how the aluminum tank will compare in terms of durability and ease of upkeep.

To keep his trucks in peak condition, he uses just one truck during the winter months when the company is less busy.

“That really helps maintain the trucks’ value and condition since they aren’t exposed to salt and all of that other winter stuff,” Oberg says. “It helps the trucks last longer.”

Oberg also does regular maintenance on the trucks to keep them in good working condition. Employees do the work themselves, whether it’s changing tires or changing oil.

“We have a set schedule. For the oil, it’s based on the number of hours in service,” Oberg says. “We grease them every week. We want to keep our vehicles in the best condition.”