Fleet Management News & Business Info | Commercial Carrier Journal
Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/959367
28 commercial carrier journal | april 2018 Flashy trash hauler Mack's LR sets the bar for refuse comfort, safety BY JASON CANNON W hen your job is to grind out a trash route day-in and day-out, the little things can go a long way. Trash collection is one of the most danger- ous jobs in the United States, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The fatal injury rate for trash collec- tors is 33 per 100,000 incidents, putting trash collection ahead of law enforcement, construction work and mining on the danger scale. Mack's LR refuse model, launched in 2015 as a replace- ment for the company's TerraPro LEU, features several new driver safety feature and comfort updates. A new drip rail above the door keeps the rain out of the cab when the door is opened upward of 1,000 times a day, and an improved HVAC system offers better temperature control and improved defrosting. A tilt and telescoping steering column comes standard and features column-mounted gauge pods for both the right-hand and left-hand driving positions. With the cluster mounted to the wheel, the driver is presented with excellent visibility regardless of the wheel's position. I was able to position the wheel to allow my elbows to rest on the door and the console, which should make eight to 10 hours on a trash route feel less taxing on a driver's arms. A massive front windshield and giant side windows provide ample visibility, which improves safety for a truck that operates so close to the curb and within close proximity to people. B-pillar windows offer the conve- nience of over-the-shoulder glances when working the truck through traffic. The LR features a 45-degree wheel cut, allowing it to navigate a cul-de-sac without having to back up. With reduced visibility at the rear, backing up is when most injuries and accidents happen. The LR gets an LED makeover inside and out. The only lights on the truck that aren't LEDs are the headlamps, and an LED option for those is available. Power windows and locks come standard, and the truck's side mirrors can store two positions electronically — a handy feature for trucks configured for both left- and right-side driving. The driver simply can flip a switch, and the mirrors will readjust themselves to a preprogrammed position. Dual-side-drive units feature a steering wheel, gauge cluster and pedals on each side, and the driver can switch between them via a toggle switch when the truck's park- ing brake is activated. Curtis Dorwart, Mack's refuse product marketing manager, said demand for trucks equipped with right- hand-drive capabilities is increasing because it allows one operator to drive and collect and dump cans from the T E S T D R I V E : M A C K L R Mack's LR refuse model was launched in 2015 as a replacement for the company's TerraPro LEU. A tilt and telescoping steering column comes standard and features column-mounted gauge pods.