Superintendent's Profile August 2023

NEW YORK STATE

Volume 47, Number 519, August 2023

INSIDE

Highway Superintendent Roger LaBombard and the Town of Chateaugay..................................................9

Advertiser / Supplier Index..................................................70

Lots of news, products and services throughout!

STAFF

President/Publisher

Edwin M. McKeon Jr.

Editor In Chief Craig Mongeau

Sales Manager Kent Hogeboom

Production Mgr. John Pinkerton

Controller

Judith Nixon

Circulation Mgr. Cathy Printz

Sales/Admin. Asst. Deby Hogeboom

Trade Show Manager

Consultant

Teddy McKeon

Bob Buckley

361 Shoemaker Road

Mohawk NY 13407

Phone 315/866-1423

E-Mail - khogeboom@cegltd.com

PRODUCERS OF THE ANNUAL NEW YORK STATE HIGHWAY & PUBLIC WORKS EXPO

Teddy McKeon: General Manager of the NYS Highway and Public Works Show 215-885-2900 email: tmckeonjr@cegltd.com 800/992-7116 email: bbuckley@cegltd.com

OCTOBER 18, 2023 • SYRACUSE, NEW YORK

Mailed 11 times a year by name, to every Town, County, Village and City Highway Superintendent, Public Works Director and D.O.T. official in NY State.

Subscriptions are available to all interested persons at a cost of $25.00 per year within the USA. To subscribe, send your check, voucher or money order for $25.00 to the address above. Single issues $3.00 each

With the exception of Highway Superintendents, Public Works Directors & D.O.T. Officials, material may not be reproduced in any form without the written permission of the publisher.

© 2023 PROFILE PUBLICATIONS PROFILE PUBLICATIONS, SUPERINTENDENT'S PROFILE & PRODUCT-SERVICE DIRECTORY, NYS HIGHWAY & PUBLIC WORKS EXPO & SNOWPLOW ROADEO ARE REGISTERED TRADEMARKS

What is actually free? I was trying to think of one thing that truly is. Things that are claimed to be “free” require something in return, such as one’s time, effort, commitment, devotion or money indirectly. Most roads and bridges are free to use but require tax money to construct and maintain. Freedom isn’t free; it sometimes, if not inevitably, requires defense through battle. The air we breathe has a “price” depending on where one is standing: the air in North Korea requires a very different personal cost than the air in America. Even receiving “unconditional love” in ways requires one to recognize it, accept it and hopefully, live up to earning it. And merchandise is never really free because it’s always going to require a commitment of time, if not money later on.

I’m sure all of you out there can probably come up with something I’m overlooking, but even if someone or some group is distributing free water at a Fourth of July parade it requires you to actually be at the parade, which is your time to be there in exchange for the water. And I think that’s the best and maybe only kind of free: getting something you want or like in return for doing something you love or would do anyway because you enjoy it. And that’s what you’ll get for that kind of free at the N.Y.S. Highway & Public Works Expo Oct. 18, 2023, in Syracuse.

Thanks to our lunch sponsors, when you attend the show, you can receive tickets for a complimentary lunch. These sponsors include: Platinum — Allegiance Trucks, Alta Equipment Company and Tracey Road Equipment; and Bronze — Buyers Products Company, Henderson Products, Milton Cat, Tenco Industries, Viking-Cives and Winter Equipment Company. Note there is still availability for your company to sponsor the lunch, if interested.

Also, exhibit space is filling up fast. After launching the new www.superintendentsprofile.com website earlier this year, Superintendent’s Profile began selling exhibitor space for the show.

“With a few updates, we are right on track with booth sales,” said Teddy McKeon, Superintendent’s Profile trade show manager. “There is a lot of anticipation for this year’s show because we had the largest crowd ever in 2022 and we look forward to the 29th annual New York State Highway & Public Works Expo to be even bigger.”

While exhibit space has been selling briskly, there is still some booth space available. Please reach out to Teddy using the contact information on the left side of this page to learn how you and your company can be an integral part of the upcoming Expo.

Thank you and we look forward to seeing and hearing from you. Have a great rest of your summer. P

Superintendent’s Profile • www.superintendentsprofile.com

• August 2023

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Roger LaBombard and the Town of Chateaugay

By Mary Yamin-Garone PROFILE CORRESPONDENT

Roger LaBombard, superintendent of highways of the town of Chateaugay, is a straight shooter, dedicated, hard-working, in your face (in a good way) kinda’ guy. Not one to shy away from controversy, Roger is known for speaking his mind and getting things done.

This down-to-earth man takes great pride in what he does. He loves his family. He loves the town where he grew up and he loves getting up every morning and doing his job.

continued on page 12

Roger LaBombard is known for speaking his mind and getting things done.

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from page 9

Born and raised in this history-laden town, Roger is a 1983 graduate of North Adirondack Central School in Ellenburg. Roger worked construction for Murnane Associates for 15 years.

“I worked as a laborer for several years before going into the heavy equipment field,” he said. “The road grader was my main thing, but I ran an excavator and a little bit of everything. I’d get laid off in the winter but never went on unemployment. I always found another job working in the woods.”

He also cut telephone poles for a Canadian outfit called Salomon Brothers.

“I did that for the year of the ice storm that changed our lives up here. We were without power for two to three weeks here in Chateaugay, located on the tip of the Canadian border. That’s where it got hit the hardest.”

That storm was what got Roger where he is today.

Picking Up the Pieces

Roger worked for the village of Chateaugay as an operator for four years.

continued on page 18

The Chateaugay Recreation Park has three pools and a 50-ft. by 200-ft. dance hall with a kitchen.

The town of Chateaugay highway department crew works to repair a culvert after flooding on July 2, 2023.

from page 12

“The town had an opening, so I went to work for them from 1998 to 2016,” he said. “That was the year of the big ice storm in the North Country. People were trapped in homes. We had to cut our way in to get them and then cut our way out. There were people from New York City, Sullivan County and the National Guard. They were all stationed at the fire station and the highway garage. Power poles snapped and roads were impossible. Trees were coming down right behind you as fast as we were trying to get the residents out.”

How long did it go on?

“The storm itself lasted four or five days,” he said. “It just kept raining and freezing. The cleanup took months. We listened to it on the Watertown scanner. You could hear the freezing rain getting closer. You knew it wasn’t going to be good. We were trying to put the sand down as fast as we could. It was unreal how fast it was icing up. An inch was on trees and power lines.”

All in a Day’s Work

Roger says wanting to be highway superintendent was in his blood. “My dad worked as a foreman for Clinton County for 36 years. I knew the ropes a little bit.”

So how did he end up behind the super’s desk?

“I worked for the town for 18 years before I became highway superintendent. I decided to run for the position when my former boss retired. I still love to plow snow, put in pipes, grade roads and operate heavy equipment. I still perform all those duties today as a working supervisor and enjoy every minute. You don’t realize all the behind-the-scenes responsibilities you have from paperwork to budgets. It can be challenging to balance as a working superintendent.”

Family First

Roger and wife, Donna, have been married for 36 years and have one daughter.

continued on page 24

Roger and his wife, Donna.

from page 18

What does she say about her husband after all these years?

“I admire the heart and soul he has for his job and employees,” she said. “It’s inspiring to see the pride and satisfaction in any work task he tackles. I consider myself and our township lucky to have such a downto-earth person who goes beyond any hour of the day or season. The motivation he has for his employees is something anyone from the outside would be envious of. He encourages them to succeed and strive to be the best at their workplace.

“Long term, our township will have a generation of employees that he’s instilled a strong skill set and work ethic, which is something that doesn’t happen overnight. His time and patience have been a big part of this. I’ve learned a lot from him over the years from operating equipment to building things. It’s incredible how he never wants me — or anyone else — to feel like you have limitations. He’ll tell you if it’s something you want to learn, it takes time and patience. I know he’ll be committed to teaching me.”

In his spare time, Roger loves spending time with his wife, camping, boating and fishing on Lake Champlain. He also runs a maple sugar

operation with his father.

“My grandfather made maple syrup, so we got into it. When he passed away, we bought the place and land from my grandmother and continued making the syrup. It’s a small operation compared to some of them today, but it’s growing. It’s going to be my retirement.”

When asked about that retirement, Roger claims it’s too early to tell. “I’m running for another term. I haven’t been thinking about it too much. I’d hate to retire and turn everything I’ve accomplished over to someone else. I like things the way they are … for now.”

The Department

According to Roger, the town’s facility was built in 1978. “From my understanding, the prisoners from Camp Gabriel helped build it. It’s closed now, but that was the exact location up near Saranac Lake.”

It also includes:

• a seven-bay garage,

• a parts room,

• a fabricating and welding room,

continued on page 28

The highway department’s cold storage facility is approximately 50 ft. wide by 100 ft. long.

from page 24

• an office, and

• a breakroom

“The salt building was built in 2011. It’s 75 feet wide and 175 feet long. It holds 5,000 yards of sand and salt mix and another 3,000 tons as needed. We also have a 40-foot wide by 100-foot long cold storage building that’s used to store equipment inside.”

As the highway department’s “top dog,” Roger is responsible for maintaining the town’s 54.90 center lane miles of road; 12 of which are gravel. That translates into three plow routes that take approximately three to four hours to complete. That doesn’t include plowing 39.14 lane miles for the Franklin County highway department.

“When I first started with the highway, we ran two people in a plow. Then we went to one person and a plow, which changed things. I run two shifts in the winter and three on days and two on nights. I’ve been running it that way since 2008. The boss before me started it and it seems to work well.”

continued on page 30

Jimmer LaBombard of the town of Ellenburg helps to install culvert pipes after July 2, 2023, flooding.

A local trucking service helps replenish the stockpile of item 4 gravel that was used during the flooding of July 2, 2023.

from page 28

Together, Roger and his five-man crew serve the town’s 3,100 residents. His staff includes MEO Mike Doyle, HEO Jesse Monette, HEO mechanic and deputy Ken Otis and laborers Nate Harrigan and David Hersey, who are in the process of getting their licenses.

“They’re the type of crew where you don’t have to babysit them. When I send them out to do something, they do it. I like it when the public tells me I have a good workers. I can give them a task and not have to micromanage them. They know what needs to be done and they work well together as a team. They make me proud and accomplished. I remind them of it often. I still like to jump on equipment when they let me.”

Under Roger’s guidance, the town of Chateaugay’s highway department runs on a total operating budget of roughly $1,400,000 that includes $300,000 from CHIPS and PAVE NY plus Extreme Winter Recovery money.

To fulfill its responsibilities, the department uses a convoy of equipment consisting of:

• 2020 International HX plow truck

• 2019 International HX plow truck

• 2014 Western Star 4700 plow truck

• 2008 International 7600 plow truck

• 2017 John Deere 624K

continued on page 34

Seen here is just some of the damage caused by flooding on July 2, 2023.

from page 30

• 2017 Hyundai HW180 excavator

• 2015 Sakai SW502 roller

• 2007 Komatsu D31EX dozer

• 1996 John Deere 772BH grader

• 2022 John Deere 6105 E tractor for roadside mowing

• 2012 John Deere flex wing mower

Roger tries to do as much as he can in-house, such as transmissions and tires “except for any computer work. We can’t do that. We have to send trucks out now and that’s expensive depending on what’s wrong. It’s $2,000 just to put it on the computer to find out what’s wrong. We pretty much run a new fleet to keep them in rotation and under warranty. That way, we don’t have big bills.”

What about budgeting for new equipment? “I budget $250,000 for new equipment every year whether I get it or not. Unless it’s a year when we’re going to replace a truck. Then I budget $300,000.”

The department ordered a new plow dump truck for 2024. Roger would like to try and stay in a six-year rotation on the plow trucks if he can. “I’d also love to have a new grader as my piece of dream equipment.”

continued on page 40

The town of Chateaugay highway department’s main workshop has seven bays with a breakroom and office.

Lori Rowe, highway department secretary, and Roger go over a grant that she recently wrote up.

from page 34

Lightning Round

What’s your favorite part of the job? “Working with the men, helping the people in the community and making the roads safer. I also enjoy going to highway school and meeting other superintendents.”

Least favorite? “Budgeting and endless paperwork.”

Most frustrating? “Getting everything in line for blacktopping and it rains for a week.”

The most challenging? “Keeping the plow trucks running in the wintertime with all the new pollution filters on them.”

Biggest accomplishment? “The pickleball court.”

Biggest disappointment? “When COVID hit. It changed the state. It changed the world. A lot of new guidelines were put in place. We don’t have the training we had before COVID. We used to do a lot of hands-on training. Now, everyone wants to use Skype. I find with the workers, hands-on training is better than Skype or doing it over computers or from the TV.”

continued on page 44

Nate Harrigan of the town of Chateaugay highway department performs roadside mowing along a town road.

from page 40

Surprised you the most? “How quickly my budget disappears.”

Most memorable job experience? “Working on the cold storage building with my men. Setting rafters in 20-degree weather and wind blowing. Not one person complained, and we got the job done.”

Most difficult? “There’s not enough time in a day. Employees can’t get time off in the winter and trying to work around giving their vacations in the summer and getting all the work done.”

Most important part? “Making sure my men go home safe and the roads are safe for the public and the school buses with the little ones on them.”

Most rewarding? “When someone tells you that you did a good job and I get to tell them it wasn’t me. My men did the job.”

Best day on the job? “I have many, but the best one was putting down 2,200 tons of blacktop with my men and a neighboring town in 12 hours.”

continued on page 50

Roger works a dozer for culvert repair after recent flooding.

The highway department’s salt storage holds 5,000 yds. of sand and salt mix and another 3,000 tons as needed.

from page 44

Worst day? “We were blacktopping at about 3 p.m. when our blacktop paver broke down and we still had 240 tons of blacktop in the dump trucks. Also, when Hurricane Katrina came up the east coast.”

Proudest moment? “Completing the recreation park in 2000.”

What would you like to say to your crew? “They make me what I am today. They’re the reason I want to come to work every day. If I didn’t have a good group, I wouldn’t be working today.”

Projects? “The town has a seasonal road we’re trying to work on and make it a full-time road. We have taxpayers buying land and wanting to build on their property. I’d also like to install a 20-foot by 200-foot culvert.”

Last but not least, what’s been your proudest moment (so far)? “Every day, I give the men a job to do and at the end of the day, they all take pride in what they’ve done. They go home feeling appreciated.”

continued on page 52

Recent flooding caused widespread damage throughout the town.

from page 50

Final Thoughts

Like most highway supers, when it’s all said and done Roger wants to be remembered for “doing a good job, helping people and keeping the town roads safe.”

What more could the townspeople ask for?

About the Town of Chateaugay

Chateaugay is a town in Franklin County. As of the 2010 census, the town population was 2,155. The name is derived from a location in France, which was applied to a local land grant. Within the town is a village also named Chateaugay. The town is located in the northeastern corner of the county.

The first settlement took place in 1796. The town was formed in 1799 before Franklin County was established, from parts of the towns of Champlain and Plattsburgh. By 1802, Chateaugay comprised most of Franklin County. Subsequently, its territory was reduced to form other towns. The town of Malone was set off from Chateaugay in 1805. When Franklin County was established from Clinton County, part of Chateaugay remained in Clinton County. The town of St. Armand was taken off in 1822 and placed in Essex County. The remaining three

towns derived from Chateaugay remained in Franklin County: Bellmont (1833) and Franklin (taken from Bellmont in 1834) and Burke (1844).

Chateaugay was the hometown of Orville H. Gibson, who founded the Gibson Guitar Corporation in 1902. He died on August 21, 1918, in St. Lawrence State Hospital, a psychiatric center in Ogdensburg.

In 1856, a tornado demolished more than 100 structures in the town. In 1868, the community of Chateaugay in the center of the town incorporated as a village.

Since 1934, the McCadam Cheese Cooperative (founded in 1876) has made cheddar cheese in Chateaugay.

The Chateaugay–Herdman Border Crossing was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2014 as the U.S. Inspection Station – Chateaugay, New York.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 49.8 square miles, of which 0.01 square miles or 0.02 percent, is water. The northern town line is the international border with Canada (Quebec), and the eastern town line is the border of Clinton County. U.S. Route 11 is an east-west highway crossing the central part of the town. New York State Route 374 is a north-south highway intersecting U.S.11 at Chateaugay village. The Chateaugay River, a tributary of the Saint Lawrence River, flows northward through the town from Lower Chateaugay Lake.

Of the town of Chateaugay highway department (L-R) are Jesse Monette, HEO; Ken Otis, HEO and mechanic; Michael Doyle, MEO; Nate Harrigan, laborer; and David Hersey, laborer.

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Electric trucks will change the world, not only in terms of making transportation more sustainable, but also in how we drive and interact with the trucks themselves.

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Volvo Group is committed to promoting the safe and responsible use of electric vehicles and the development of this app is just one example of the company’s ongoing efforts in this area. The Volvo Group is investing heavily in the development of electric vehicle technology and offers a wide range of electric solutions for commercial use.

The new Emergency Response Guide app is available for download from the Apple App Store and Google Play. 

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Thinking About Fleet Tracking? CyberTrac Has a GPS Solution

If you are responsible for a fleet of vehicles and equipment and have given any thought to fleet tracking GPS technology, you may want to take a look at CyberTrac.

CyberTrac is cutting-edge fleet tracking that was developed and customized for the industry’s needs by Jon Scott, a New York State highway superintendent. Jon has been the highway superintendent of the town of Kirkland (near Utica) for 15 years and had been an employee of the town of Kirkland for 10 years prior to becoming superintendent.

Jon focused on GPS fleet tracking almost immediately after becoming highway superintendent.

“As I looked at all of the assets within the township’s fleet of trucks, tractors, heavy equipment, mowers, etc., I was certain that it would be beneficial to have the ability to monitor everything in the fleet and be able to gather, track and maintain data such as maintenance information at the same time,” he said.

Jon was fortunate back in 2013 to find a company that was in its formative stage and was pioneering asset tracking and was open to working with him to take a hard look at some of the unique aspects of a highway department’s fleet and customize the product to meet those needs.

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What Is Vehicle Tracking?

Basic vehicle tracking is essentially dots on a map — where exactly are my vehicles? when did they arrive? how long have they been there?

The CyberTrac system expands beyond monitoring trucks, vehicles, construction equipment, etc. It has proven to be a cost-effective way to track non-powered equipment such as dumpsters, trailers, “trailerable” equipment, equipment attachments, trenchers, all the way down to walkbehind mowers. In addition to dots on the map, CyberTrac offers a maintenance management portal to track service intervals and operational costs on a per hour basis.

A construction and agricultural dealership in central New York has tagged virtually every item in its inventory and has found it to be an invaluable tool in locating stolen equipment or rentals delivered to the wrong location. There are many different reasons equipment can disappear, but with this system, the dealer is able to locate everything from his or her cellphone.

continued on page 64

In addition to dots on the map, CyberTrac offers a maintenance management portal to track service intervals and operational costs on a per hour basis.

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from page 60

What Are the Benefits?

The most obvious benefit to this technology is being able to view your fleet in real time. There is tremendous value and peace of mind in having real-time access to your assets on your computer or on your phone where you can access from virtually anywhere you go.

You can set up real time alerts concerning your vehicle’s activities, such as when your vehicle is arriving or leaving a location, if there is aggressive driving or speeding, to name a few. The reports are highly customizable and can report historical data in customized formatted reports with categories such as Roads Plowed, Salted, Proof of Service, Speed, Driver Behavior, etc. Of course, the obvious value is the ability to immediately locate lost, stolen or misplaced equipment, eliminating expensive insurance claims or lost time while employees search for a machine dropped off at the wrong site.

Recently, CyberTrac was used in Utica by the organizers of the Utica Boilermaker, one of the best-known marathon races in the country, which has tens of thousands of participants. The Boilermaker organizers used CyberTrac to monitor all of their EMS assets with the idea being if any runner or spectator was in distress, they could at a glance identify the nearest EMS, look at the traffic situation in real time and dispatch the EMS to the distressed individual and tell them the best traffic route to take.

Advancing Technology

The next wave of technology in this industry is video telematics. Nearly everyone is feeling the pressure of the increased emphasis on safety and reducing liability. With video telematics all of the data and benefits listed above are conjoined with undeniable photo or video proof.

The global dashcam market is exploding across America. Every day, the odds of being involved in a vehicle accident with another motorist and the incident being recorded by the other vehicle increases significantly. If the other vehicle has the data and you do not, the recorded data is most likely going to be used in their favor.

“We have seen this technology pay off several times,” Jon said. “We have had drivers accused of reckless driving or speeding that we could prove that simply was not true. We had one of our town trucks accused of passing a school bus that was picking up children. The video proved definitively that the school bus driver never put their lights on, thus relieving our driver of any responsibility.”

This technology not only protects you, but it also protects your drivers. Events such as aggressive driving, speeding, distracted driving, drowsy driving, following too closely, are all just a few of risky behaviors that can be identified that could ultimately result in tremendous monetary costs, personal injury and loss of life. As an alternative, you can look at these incidents as coachable moments and be able to work with your employees to become safer and more valuable members of your team.

“While the cost of nearly everything else we deal with is on the rise, the cost of this technology is moving downward as it improves,” Jon said. “For less than what we used to pay for the most basic ‘dots on the map’ tracking service, today, a comprehensive video telematics package can be provided and the hardware and monitoring costs are negligible. In reality, these investments pay for themselves as time goes on.”

Whether it is “dots on a map.” video telematics, electronic log compliance, maintenance management, tracking a fleet of vehicles or a yard full of rental equipment, CyberTrac offers a complete affordable solution.

For more information, contact Jon Scott at 315/725-7483, email jon@cybertrac.us or visit www.cybertrac.us.  P

Jon Scott

Hitachi Construction Rolls Out New, Efficient ZW220-7 Wheel Loader

The 4-cu.-yd. Hitachi ZW220-7 wheel loader is an efficient loading tool available in both standard and high-lift arm configurations. It features a 41,035-lb. operating weight and is powered by a proven 210 hp (157 kW) Cummins engine.

Power is transferred to the ground through a five- speed transmission and limited slip differentials for effective job site traction.

“The next-generation ZW-7 wheel loaders feature upgraded technology for advanced productivity, enhanced operator comfort, improved serviceability and new safety features with a rear collision detection system,” said Matt Koester, product manager, wheel loaders Hitachi Construction Machinery Americas Inc.

Tools Boost Productivity

Approach speed control, an auto power up function and a new payload weighing system raise productivity of the ZW220-7 to new heights. The approach speed control sets the desired speed the wheel loader will achieve as it approaches a loading point.

The operator holds down the accelerator while lifting the load and the machine maintains the slower speed as it approaches the loading point. The operator taps the brake to bring the machine to a complete

stop when it reaches the dump area. With approach speed control, the travel speed can be adjusted with fewer pedal operations during loading. This reduces operator fatigue and fuel consumption.

The auto power up function increases hill climbing performance. It identifies slopes and adds power to prevent the engine speed from dropping when travelling uphill.

New for the ZW220-7, a payload weighing system uploads information reporting productivity to the ConSite telematic system. Operators can check the weight of the load in the bucket from the inside cab monitor and log the material loaded. It offers four modes — tip-off to truck, tip-off to pile, auto-add and manual-add. These modes allow the payload weighing system to manage loads according to their application. In addition, the unit is equipped with a warning function that reacts when the bucket is overloaded, improving safety during operation.

Operator Comfort

Hitachi Construction Machinery Americas Inc. improved the overall comfort of the ZW220-7 a with larger and quieter cab. A seat-mounted armrest with low effort electric hydraulic controls, ergonomically locat-

continued on page 68

New for the ZW220-7, a payload weighing system uploads information reporting productivity to the ConSite telematic system. Operators can check the weight of the load in the bucket from the inside cab monitor and log the material loaded.

New Hitachi Loader Offers Optional Rear Obstacle Detection System

from page 66

ed switches, adjustable seat and mirrors further enhance operator comfort. An 8-in. anti-glare LCD monitor with Bluetooth radio allows hands-free phone capability.

Designing cabs with panoramic visibility helps create a safe and comfortable working environment. The position and design of the cab pillars, the layout of the monitor and switch panel have been improved to ensure a wider field of view from the cab.

Hitachi Construction Machinery Americas Inc. takes visibility a step further with its Aerial Angle peripheral vision camera system. It provides a wide 270-degree bird’s-eye view of the machine’s immediate environment. Aerial Angle provides three cameras mounted on the rear of the machine. Operators can see both the left and right sides of the machine on the monitor inside the cab, providing visibility to the sides and rear of the machine.

Always Focused On Safety

Hitachi Construction Machinery Americas Inc. is always exploring new ways to increase safety on the job site. The latest innovation is an optional rear obstacle detection system on the ZW220-7 wheel loader. It offers rear object detection alerts to improve safety and help reduce potential damage on the job site.

The ZW220-7 also features emergency steering. The emergency electric pump delivers the necessary oil pressure for power steering even in the case of an emergency. This always allows normal steering,

even if the engine fails.

Serviceability Improves Reliability, Uptime

Design enhancements help protect critical components from the environment. An inner element of the engine air filter protects the engine from dust ingress while cleaning the outer element. Even the air conditioner is protected with a sealed internal filter that prevents intrusion of dust into the air conditioner unit.

Airborne debris can become an issue in many wheel loader operations, often leading to decreased cooling system performance. Hitachi Construction Machinery Americas Inc. addressed this with an intelligent automatic reversing hydraulically driven fan and wide-fin radiators which prevent clogging.

Daily maintenance has been simplified with easy-access filters and improved access to components.

Using telematic tools to monitor machine health also helps boost uptime. ConSite, which remotely monitors operational status and alerts owners and operators to upcoming maintenance needs, is making a leap forward.

ConSite Air is a new optional add-on that allows the wheel loader to be diagnosed remotely, as well as remote updates of the software. No matter where a machine is located, the servicing dealer can remotely diagnose issues that may arise, leading to increased uptime. A ConSite response team is on standby to rapidly resolve issues as they emerge.

For more information, visit hitachicm.us. 