Pierce Receives $5.6M Order from Sacramento

    OSHKOSH, WIS.--June 21, 2001--Oshkosh Truck Corporation announced today that its subsidiary, Pierce Manufacturing Inc., was awarded a $5.6 million contract for three aerial and 11 pumper fire trucks by the Sacramento Fire Department.
    Overall apparatus quality was a critical factor in awarding the contract to Pierce. For more than a year before issuing their bid in April, the city of Sacramento Fire Department reviewed its apparatus fleet for operating costs and downtime to justify the need for the 14 units. The department then started to review apparatus manufacturers for their ability to fulfill the order. The evaluation process analyzed items such as:

    -   ISO 9001 certification;

    -   Ability to produce and deliver large multiple-unit orders on
        time;

    -   Single-source manufacturing capabilities to ensure
        compatibility of apparatus chassis and body, including pump
        and aerial components;

    "The objective of our analysis was to make sure the city buys the best fire apparatus available from a quality manufacturer who would be responsive to our needs," said Deputy Chief Chuck Bader. "We feel we have all of that with Pierce."
    All of the new fire apparatus will be equipped with Oshkosh's TAK-4(TM) independent front suspension. One of the major selection criteria for Sacramento was safety. The TAK-4 system improves braking performance by 23 percent. A fire truck equipped with the TAK-4 system can stop from 60 mph to 0 in 200 feet, instead of 260 feet. In traffic, that's more than the length of two pickup trucks and a minivan.
    "From a risk management standpoint, the improved safety factor that TAK-4 provides is impressive," said Bader. "When an alarm comes in to the firehouse, our initial goal is to get to the emergency scene as quickly - and as safely - as possible. The TAK-4 system will enable the Sacramento Fire Department to more effectively serve its citizens."
    Delivery of the 14 new apparatus is scheduled to begin in March 2002 and is expected to be completed in June 2002. The new apparatus will replace older equipment with more than 20 years of service.
    The Sacramento Fire Department was incorporated in 1850 and is one of the oldest fire departments west of the Mississippi. The department protects the Sacramento metropolitan area and responds to about 55,000 calls annually.