Wheeler Steel Works Inc of Morley MO, in conjunction with International Truck & Engine Corp of Fenton MO, recently won the Missouri state bid for 253 dump trucks for snow and ice applications. Besides the Missouri Department of Transportation's leasing of these vehicles, Wheeler anticipates helping individual counties and townships by allowing them to “tag on” to the state's contract. The agreement allows for annual renewal options through 2006.
The new dump trucks have a GPS capacity, load-sensing hydraulics, asphalt temperature sensors, ground speed sensing for automatic spreading, an auto pull-tarp system, high-intensity (front and rear) strobe light system, and automatic tire chains. Dump bodies also employ the western style of the Wheeler RocStar Dump Body, a crossmemberless design that uses 80,000-lb tensile strength steel.
These units will come with Henke plows and Swenson spreaders. Each truck will have a front plow along with trailer towing capacity. Some trucks will come with midmount wing plows for shoulder use or an underbelly scraper for icy conditions. Wheeler is completing these units at a rate of 12 per week.