FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Travis® Body & Trailer, Inc.,

(713) 466-5888

Contact: C.K. “Bud” Hughes

Houston, Texas – Travis® Body & Trailer, Inc.

Travis® RELEASES 10,998 lb. TRAILER AT WORLD OF ASPHALT SHOW

After extensive field testing, Travis® is releasing its newest trailer, “The Mule”, a horizontal discharge asphalt trailer, for full production. The trailer was specifically designed for hauling and unloading asphalt, and is based on Travis®’ patented “Wave” body design, a dual-walled, smooth sided aluminum trailer. The Mule WALKING FLOOR® system made by KEITH Mfg Co. . This method of unloading, with reciprocating floor slats, cleans out the load quickly, at a rate that can be controlled at the back of the trailer or inside the cab of the truck, and does so without using belts or having to raise the trailer in the air. Two trailers were shown at the World of Asphalt 2006 Show in Orlando, Florida. They were exhibited both indoor, in a static display and outdoor in the live equipment demonstration, in partnership with KEITH Mfg. Co., maker of the V-floor® system installed in the trailers. The 28’ long, extremely maneuverable, 4-axle trailer, legal for 80,000 lbs. gross in at least 37 states, weighed in at only 10,998 lbs., including the 2 Travis® T-lite auxiliary liftable air suspensions, the V-floor system and the tarp, around 3 tons less than a 42’ belt trailer. This results in a typical payload of 27 tons, in a very small package. The fuel saving, aerodynamic smooth sides are also hollow-walled extrusions filled with 2.5” insulation as standard equipment, keeping temperature loss barely measurable. The compact 28’ trailer body, only 76” wide keeps the load hot longer, and the 27.3 cubic yard capacity is more than ample. The standard air-operated hi-lift gate gets up and out of the way of the paving machine. An additional benefit is the versatility of this trailer to stockpile sand and gravel, windrow, or haul millings. Unlike a dump body, it can uncouple from the truck and allow the tractor to pull other trailers such as lowboys, or tanks, without having to have a tractor dedicated to each piece of equipment. The rugged V-Floor system is made of thick aluminum slats separated by UHMW plastic. The floor unloads the trailer cleanly, assisted by the KEITH Mfg. Co. “CleenSweep” tarp, (also standard). This trailer requires minimal maintenance compared to belt trailers. The “walking-off” of the asphalt mix, as opposed to dumping it, allows a complete cross-section of the load to exit the trailer at once, preventing segregation of the load common in dump trucks. The horizontal discharge eliminates trailer turnovers, and allows paving on banked roads, underpower lines, bridges, trees, in tunnels, and in tight areas. The hydraulic floor system is run by a pump and powered by the truck’s transmission through a PTO. The floor also runs in reverse, allowing the load to be dropped in multiple locations. The Mule is available in a 34’ tri-axle model and a 39’ tandem axle. Both versions still weigh tons less than the typical belt trailer. Travis® describes the Mule as its “Asphalt Solution # 3”, referring to other trailer and body offerings available to the asphalt industry. These include the Wave 4-axle frame type end dump, the all aluminum Wave bottom dump, and the Wave dump body. Travis® Body & Trailer is a leading national manufacturer of aluminum end dumps, aluminum transfer trailers, and aluminum bottom dumps. For more information, or to locate a dealer, contact Travis® Body & Trailer in Houston at 800.535.4372, in Tulsa at 800.298.2178, and in Atlanta, Georgia at 800.622.3867.