April 3, 2023 |
Photo – Image of a hydraulic tilt deck trailer – Courtesy trailersusa.com
Carbon County Road and Bridge will purchase two new trailers to haul heavy equipment.
Members of the Board of Carbon County Commissioners approved a request from Road and Bridge Coordinator Kandis Fritz to buy two tilt deck trailers using impact assistance funding from the Gateway South project.
The county received $1.4 million from PacifiCorp in exchange for allowing the construction of an extra-high-voltage electrical transmission line through Carbon County. The project also includes a 10 acre expansion of the electrical substation near Medicine Bow. Construction is expected to be completed this October.
At the beginning of last week’s county commissioners meeting, Fritz said she received quotes for new heavy equipment trailers from two different companies. The quotes were for different kinds of trailers, depending on how much the commissioners would authorize her to spend. Fritz explained the quote she received from Floyd’s Truck Center, a large commercial trucking company with several locations in Wyoming.
Fritz presented a second quote to the commissioners. Wyoming Machinery, a heavy equipment dealer out of Casper, provided a combined price for the two different kinds of trailers, tilt deck and standard.
Fritz told the commissioners that she would rather have the hydraulic powered tilting deck trailer for ease of use. She said she would review the two quotes and return later in the meeting to present her choice.
Upon her return, Fritz said she would like to purchase two Trail King trailers from Wyoming Machinery.
According to the manufacturer’s website, that specific model of trailer has a 60,000-pound weight limit, making it more than capable of carrying a standard road grader or front-end loader. The new trailers would allow Road and Bridge to transport equipment around the county without having to drive the slow-moving heavy machinery on the road.
The price of each trailer was around $5,000 more than the original quote. Fritz said the dealer suggested she purchase several pieces of additional equipment.
Commissioner John Espy said he would prefer to purchase the tilting trailers. He said his experience with hydraulic lifting trailers shows it to be a safer and easier to use alternative than the traditional ramp type.
Commission Chairwoman Sue Jones asked for a motion to accept the bid from Wyoming Machinery in the amount of $122,200 using Gateway South impact assistance funding. The motion was made, seconded, and carried. Fritz said she expects to take delivery of the new trailers in June or early July.
