2001 CAT D5M

Details

               We bought this bulldozer brand new at the crack of the new millennium, and it was a really big deal. It was the first new dozer we’d purchased since the 1980s, so the crews were very excited when this D5 arrived.  It was the first dozer we had that had an enclosed cab, air conditioning, and a heater. Previous operators were exposed to the elements, like with our 1987 CAT D6D. It was cutting edge technology at the time.

                The D5M has never had a major breakdown, nor has it had any issues occur. It was not specialized to be the best at one aspect of the normal operations of dozers, instead it is good at all aspects. It is used at waste sites to distribute fill and excess dirt, and has been used to clear and pack down snow for winter jobs. We also use it to tow equipment, especially in cold and icy conditions.

                This dozer is equipped with a ‘high track’ system, which means that the drive unit is raised and less exposed to the ground level. This greatly increases traction. It also comes equipped with a VPAT blade, which stands for Variable Pitch Angle Tilt. This means it has six ways it can tilt and angle, allowing for precision during operation. “It’s just a good all-around bulldozer,” our Equipment Manager explains.

               It was also one of the last purchases that our founder, Gerald Tatro made. “He was always a bulldozer man,” Justin Day remembers. He loved dozers the most of any type of construction equipment, and he loved operating them. Many pictures show him behind the controls of one of these machines. And so, he was very proud of this D5M. When he passed away a few months later, we proudly parked this dozer by the entrance of the funeral home during visiting hours. It was a great endcap to his career, and there was no better piece of equipment that stood for everything he loved about construction. And it has stood the test of time, all these years later.