Due to inadequate drainage and overall poor road conditions, the Allen Township Public Works Department is gearing up for a busy summer of road reconstruction.

“The amount of snow plowing, excess water and increased travel on the roads the last couple of months have really taken their toll. Now that the weather has improved, it is time to focus our attention on rebuilding the roadways,” said Kyle Young, road foreman for Allen Township.

To help with the undertaking, the township recently purchased a Cat 416C-lT backhoe loader from Giles & Ransome (G&R). In addition to road reconstruction, the new machine will be utilized for a wide variety of additional functions such as moving concrete pipes and installing storm drains.

The Cat 416C-IT has several features including an integrated tool carrier, which allows the machine to be used for multiple purposes with minimal downtime for attachment changes. In addition, the township can rent attachments such as pallet forks. blades, asphalt cutters brooms, and general-purpose and multi-purpose buckets when needed — eliminating the need for them to purchase each one individually.

For Young, who has a background in construction, the decision to buy Caterpillar was an easy one, he said.

“I’ve always known the Caterpillar name to mean quality. Plus, the parts availability, service and follow-up offered through Giles & Ransome reassured me we were purchasing a reliable piece of equipment. In fact, the G & R personnel were a key deciding factor for us. Everyone we spoke to from the company was always incredibly knowledgeable and readily available to answer all of our questions,” Young explained.

Young also said that G&R helped repair non-Cat equipment that the township owns.

“The parts department was extremely friendly and knew me on a first-name basis. If they didn’t have the parts I needed, 99 percent of the time, it arrived the next day. The professionalism and politeness exhibited by G & R is beyond impressive; it is deeply appreciated,” Young said.

Tom Schoeneberger, machine operator for the township, said the backhoe loader’s ride-control system and four-wheel-drive have made the biggest difference between the Cat 416C-IT and the previous piece of equipment the township used.

“Since we often have to travel from job site to job site using the main roads, the rider control system was an important feature. The Cat 416C-IT also has the versatility that we need, since we can use a variety of tools without leaving the cab,” he said.

Allen Township is located in Northampton County, PA, and has a population of approximately 2,700. In addition to road maintenance, the public works department is responsible for four community parks.

Giles & Ransome, a division of Giles & Ransome Inc., is the authorized distributor of Caterpillar heavy construction equipment in eastern Pennsylvania, southern New Jersey and northern Delaware. The company maintains branch locations in Bensalem, PA; Bear, DE; Toms River, NJ; Fleetwood, PA; Whitehall, PA; Hammonton, NJ; and West Chester, PA.

For more information, visit www.ransome.com.

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