Frank Lewis I mean they do make quality trucks. Maybe if the competition would stop focusing on “value” 6-8 year life rigs, they would have more of the market.

Frank Lewis kool aid? How many different manufacturers have you driven to calls? Myself, E-ONE, Spartan, Smeal, Mack, Duplex, Seagrave. By far I really wish Mack was still in the market, but that ended a long time ago. If they were and still made the entire unit, hands down I’d still purchase them. That being said there really isn’t much to talk about anymore, Pierce makes very smooth driving units with the TAK4 front ends. In the 80’s, E-ONE was a great handling ride, but Pierce has gone by them now. As far as the others, Spartan isn’t anything to write home about, Duplex was always terrible. Seagrave is very solid. That being said, we only have 1, and I was only assigned to it for 2 months then I bid for the new mid mount Pierce tower ladder. Brand new and drives like a Cadillac, nothing else needs to be said.

BTW, NO KOOL AID NEEDED, JUST 30 years of experience

No Kool-Aid needed. Pierce makes great rigs just facts. I’ve ridden and drove ALF, E-ONE, Sutphen, KME and Pierce. They’ve done their homework and it’s quality hands down!!!

@@cfol1382 I was afraid you might throw a Clapp & Jones or Silsby onto your list! All kidding aside, the entire point of my comment was surprise that, after 30+ years, DFD was switching to Pierce from Quality/Crimson/Spartan, just as I was surprised when FDNY dumped Seagrave and Kansas City left E-One after decades-long relationships, and I worry that innovation tends to wither without competition. My Kool-Aid remark wasn't about the quality of Pierce apparatus--my career and volunteer departments both run Pierce exclusively. I've stood on the blue floor on six different occasions doing final walk-throughs before delivery, and not once has our rig not matched the spec to a "T"--but the marketing. More than craftsmanship and marketing, however, what makes Pierce the industry juggernaut is their dealer network and post-sale support--no other manufacturer matches that. It's a significant selling point; consider the woebegone saga of ALF's final days as the latest lesson what happens when a manufacturer fails in this regard. Additionally, Pierce stands behind every component on every truck they build, unlike some other notable manufacturers who claim to be sole-source but then waffle when a supplier component breaks on one of their rigs; I won't mention names, but (cough,cough) REV Group. Does that make Pierce the "best"? It's too subjective a term--what works for one department is totally wrong for another...actually, I think the ratio is closer to, what works for five departments might not for work for another one, but I digress--but they certainly do enough right to lead the industry by a significant margin. As for what I've driven to calls, I don't anymore, so you win. These days I spend my working hours riding shotgun on a Velocity stick and my off time in a Tahoe SSV, so my main concern now (as far as what badge is pasted to the grill) is that the rig gets my crew to the scene safely. That said, the first rig I ever drove to a fire was a 1980 Mack CF-611, and I haven't driven a real fire engine since. Stay safe, brother.

Yes, it has a built in generator, cordreel in the rear right compartment.

Yes.

No