Following the recent flurry of posts in BigLorryBlog about whether Scania or White had the first "Alley Cat", I think the honours go to White. But BLB has been scratching his old grey head (well not much grey more flesh) trying to remember the name of the specialised garbage truck that Volvo (the owners of White) sold in the US. Fortunately, Rod Simmonds has come to the rescue to remind me it was called the White Xpeditor. And here's a picture of it from the 2005 Brisbane Truck Show - only he says now it's now sold under the Autocar brand name.
Confused? Well when Volvo bought White back in the 80s it also acquired Autocar, the double tough US truck company from (I think) Ogden, Utah. And the Autocar name clearly still has 'traction' as the marketing men say so I guess that's why it switched. However, I wonder if that's still the case as I couldn't spot any mention or pictures of the Xpeditor on the Volvo Trucks North America website?
Perhaps BLB's "Man at Volvo" Martin Phippard can give us a steer (and maybe some pictures?) on the subject to tidy up my confusion.
This truck is descended from the White Road Xpeditor 2, which was also marketed as a Volvo Xpeditor in later years.Volvo withdrew the Autocar Marque in the late 1990's but the Xpeditor never carried this badge under Volvo ownership.
The latest incarnation of the Xpeditor is actually produced by a new and independant company called Autocar LLC of Hagerstown, IN.The new Autocar is powered by a Cummins ISL, driving Arvin-Meritor Axles through an Allison 'box.
i did have the brochures from the very keen salesman, just not sure which box i put them....but yes i seem to remember an independent group heading it. Not sure if any sold in Oz yet, like like International Accos too much!