In May 2019, Autocar announced the release of its DC-64R – a completely reinvented truck for severe duty refuse applications – marking the company’s first new conventional truck for the brand in 31 years. Today, waste haulers and municipalities across the U.S. are experiencing firsthand how switching to a custom-built DC-64R is saving them time and money across the board, the company says.
Autocar turns the traditional OEM/dealership model on its head. Most vocational truck manufacturers sell stock, mass-produced trucks through a dealership, and then compromise the original design in order to customize it for the very specific needs of vocational customers. Autocar, in stark contrast, produces only custom-built, severe duty vocational trucks, made to order and assembled with pre-engineered, OEM parts that were designed to work together seamlessly.
“A custom-built DC-64R is designed specifically for the customer to individually integrate with the refuse body of preference,” said Tim Thornton, vice president of strategy and commercialization at Autocar. “Through our Power of One integration, each truck is built as one complete tool – not only at the engineering stage but extending to the installation of body components as well. This unique process offsets numerous issues typically encountered with mass-produced vehicles, enhancing uptime and ROI for waste haulers.”
The Autocar DC-64R is the direct result of the requests, insights, data, and guidance that Autocar sought out from waste haulers across the industry. It features a tough cab (shaker tested for 770 hours), 325-degree driver visibility, and features a 50-degree wheel cut, providing a tighter turning radius.
It features ultra-high-strength 160,000 psi steel frame rails, eliminating the need for frame liners in nearly all refuse applications, the company says. The primary benefit for the waste hauler is a significant weight savings that directly increases effective payload – and therefore, profitability.
Downtime is costly, which is why the DC-64R comes standard with a 7” Smart Display. Built-in diagnostics help technicians get a truck back on the job faster by providing electrical diagnostics reports, access to service intervals, bodybuilder and operator manuals, and access to 3D schematics, all with one touch of the display.
