Mack Trucks official transporter of the Capitol Christmas Tree

MEEKER I Mack Trucks is proud to once again serve as the official transporter of the Capitol Christmas Tree project, which annually provides a tree from one of America’s national forests to brighten the lawn of the U.S. Capitol for the holiday season. This year, the tree is being harvested from the White River National Forest near Meeker.
Recently, at the Mack Customer Center in Allentown, Pa., Mack unveiled two custom-decorated MACK® Pinnacle™ model highway tractors that will transport the tree to Washington, D.C., along with 100 companion trees that will be displayed throughout the Capitol. The trucks are doing a multi-state tour from Colorado to Texas, Georgia, Tennessee, North Carolina and Pennsylvania throughout the month of November. The tree is scheduled to arrive at the U.S. Capitol on Nov. 26.
The custom graphics on this year’s trucks feature Mack the Bulldog hauling a massive tree through the snow, with large mountains in the background and was created to illustrate the well-known durability and reliability of Mack trucks in a unique and fun way.
Mack Trucks has served as the official transporter of the U.S. Capitol Christmas tree many times in the past, most recently in 2011. “It’s quite an honor for Mack to again support the Capitol Christmas Tree project,” said John Walsh, Mack vice president of marketing. “We are responsible for delivering precious cargo to our nation’s capitol and know our trucks will provide an extremely safe and comfortable ride over difficult terrain. Riding in a festive Mack truck, built here in the United States, provides a uniquely American holiday experience and a perfect way to transport the official Christmas tree of the U.S. Capitol.”
The fuel-efficient SmartWay-certified Pinnacle Axle Back model sleeper transporting the tree is equipped with a custom-built trailer fitted with a cradle to support the tree’s branches. The truck also features Mack’s fully integrated mDRIVE™ automated manual transmission that continuously monitors changes in grade, vehicle speed, acceleration, torque demand and weight while shifting seamlessly. This will be beneficial for navigating some of the steep mountain passes on the almost 2,000-mile trip from Colorado to Washington, D.C.
Since safety is critical to Mack Trucks, the Pinnacle transporter trucks, like every Mack Pinnacle, are equipped with the Mack Road Stability Advantage by Bendix®, improving the driver experience with greater stability in a variety of road conditions.