Paving the Way
On the site of a new development in northeast Tempe, Arizona, there’s a flurry of activity. Skid steers, backhoes, excavators, motor graders, and scrapers hum together in harmony, a careful orchestration of power, precision, and productivity.
“Apartment complexes are real tight,” says Ace Asphalt® Superintendent Tim Orozco. “We have a lot of trades in the same area at the same time, so we have to be able to work around a lot of different equipment.”
According to Orozco, one machine that helps control the chaos is the John Deere 210L EP Tractor Loader. “This is a tough jobsite. We’re laying new curb, doing new subgrade, laying a new base, and then laying new asphalt. There’s some really rocky materials out here. The 210L EP is real versatile. It’s easy to operate. There’s a lot of clearance. It’s just an all-around good machine. The box blade and the ability to handle tight corners are really convenient for our operators.”
In fact, Orozco hopes to see more tractor loaders on his jobsites. “Since I’ve been with Ace, we’ve purchased six of these machines. We’ve had them for nearly two years now, and we’ve had next to no problems with them. The maintenance is low, and they’re really reliable. We use them 60 to 70 hours a week — they’re machines you can use every day. If you’re a construction company and you’re not using a 210L EP to help you in tighter areas, you’re really missing out.”
The box blade and the ability to handle tight corners are really convenient for our operators.
DOWN TO BUSINESS
On the other side of Tempe, William Newell, universal operator at Buesing Corp., also takes advantage of the John Deere 210L Tractor Loader’s numerous production-boosting features. “This machine is great for site development for three reasons,” Newell says. “Weight, stability, and maneuverability. It will load a truck in a heartbeat. It’ll grade anything you need. It’ll move aggregate base (AB) and dirt. I’ve never had a pile yet that I can’t crawl up, pull down, work, or move. I can lay rock in no time at all. I can dump a load of boulders, back up, turn around, use that box blade, and push them anywhere I need to go. I can go down a slope with a full bucket, and it has the weight to hold me straight so I’m not sliding sideways. Plus, the visibility is great. I can see off both tires — I’m not going to run over something because I’m guessing where my back tires are.”
Newell also appreciates the loading capabilities of the 210L. “When I’m loading trucks, I have enough room to go over the top of the truck and dump the bucket without being so close that I’m going to hit the truck. I love that feature. I can load a belly dump in under five minutes. I can go in and dig a bit further, get a bigger bucket, get out of there, dump it, and blade it off. I’m good to go.”
And Newell is a fan of the improvements to the operator station, too. “Let’s say you’re on a 10-hour shift. If you’re sitting straight forward all the time and you’ve got that seat in the same position, it takes a toll on your knees, lower back, and neck. With the new seat — and the ability to slide back, slide forward, and tilt — I can turn my body so I can operate the machine more comfortably. I don’t go home with my back and neck hurting. I don’t go home stressed out because I had to work hard that day to make things happen.”
In the end, Newell knows the biggest advantage of the 210L is to his company’s bottom line. “When you’re in road construction, the money is in AB. By moving that AB, you save on asphalt. If you get it flat, you don’t have to order as much asphalt. You can finish AB with the 210L almost as fast as a blade. And if I can keep up with a blade, pulling corners, and grading out, I can keep making money.”
Ace Asphalt® and Buesing Corp. are serviced by RDO® Equipment Co., Phoenix, Arizona.
Contractors in Tempe, Arizona, love the production-boosting capabilities of our 210L and 210L EP Tractor Loaders.