By Jan Westell LAS VEGAS, Nev. – International unveiled its newest heavy-duty truck model at CONEXPO, the PayStar 5900i set-back axle dump truck. The newest addition to the International product line made its debut at a quarry located outside of Las Vegas. International officials offered a demonstration that showcased the truck’s interior and exterior design features, engine capability and its maneuverability.

“The reason for the 5900 setback is really the completion of the PayStar product line,” said Phil Christman, vice-president and general manager of International Truck’s Severe Service Vehicle Centre, who described this new model as a step up from the original PayStar 5500 and 5600. “This is the granddaddy of them all: from a gross vehicle weight; from maneuverability; from a visibility standpoint.”

The PayStar 5900i SBA is a Class 8 vocational on/off highway vehicle that features a new axle configuration to address severe service applications such as construction, oilfield, logging, heavyhauling, mining, recovery and other heavy-duty applications. The wide-track, set-back axle design is intended to address a need for front axle load distribution and improved maneuverability, according to Christman.

Powered by Caterpillar or Cummins diesel engines, up to 15-litres and up to 625 horsepower, the PayStar 5900i SBA is built on the strength of a standard 12.25-inch frame rail PayStar chassis. It provides what International promotes as the highest standard strength-to-weight ratio with ratings of 2.3 million RBM. An optional double frame rail provides an increase to 4.7 million RBM.

“It’s a tough truck,” says Christman. “This is built for heavy, heavy applications.”

The truck has also been designed for the driver, added Christman, and offers a “premium”-styled interior, chrome accents, dual external air cleaners, and a chrome sun shade.

“On the inside, these have all got the ‘whisper’ (cab) package, so the driver doesn’t get worn out in the application of driving this every day,” he adds. “It’s got the biggest cab in the industry.”

International’s severe sales manager for the Canadian head office discussed the truck’s interior features, including a woodgrain control panel with easy access to all the controls and switches, a padded head line and doors and ideal vantage from the dash to the sloped hood, which offers greater visibility from the cab.

“You’ve got to have more than just looking good,” says John Morgan. “There’s got to be some reasons, some function to it. So if I’m driving along, and I need to take my eye off the road in order to see something, I could jeopardize something. I can look. I can reach. I can find things and minimize the chance of an accident.”

Driver satisfaction is vital for the trucking industry, not only for comfort and pride, but also to ensure employees stick with the job.

“These guys are getting more and more demanding, because as a the driver pool drops, if you don’t offer it, and the other guy does, then the guy’s going to move,” says Morgan.