‘Task-Specific’ Vehicles Venture Into Refuse Hauling

The GO4 has been around since about 1990 as a parking enforcement vehicle, and Westward Industries (WWI) has manufactured the vehicle under new management for about the past seven years. The company refers to the GO4’s different applications — such as police, security, and parcel delivery — as “task-specific vehicles.” 

In response to customer demand, WWI in October unveiled the GO4 Extended Frame (EXT) Hydraulic Refuse Hauler, which the company describes as “the most nimble trash hauler on the market.” WWI said the vehicle is suitable for refuse collection in settings such as neighborhood collection, universities, parks, beaches, compact urban settings, memorial gardens/­cemeteries, zoos, and shopping malls. 

WWI owner Chris Franz said his company has worked for the past eight months to develop a platform that is reinforced to handle greater payload. The original GO4 non-EXT is a shorter vehicle built primarily for parking enforcement, and the new GO4 EXT increases payload to 1,000 lbs. of capacity and is fitted for a poly bin hydraulic hopper with 1.75-­cubic-yard capacity.

Reinforced for Load-Handling

“A significant amount of engineering went into making sure the vehicle is well-balanced, that it can handle up to 800 lbs., while handling the load stable, especially when unloading in a 5-cubic-yard refuse bin that a lot of commercial places have,” Franz said. WWI reinforced the springs, sway bar, and rear chassis subframe of the suspension to handle the extra weight of the unit.
“We have also created it on a chassis that has a larger opening for the operator to jump in and out, and we’ve made the doors optional, especially for any climate which is a little more mild,” Franz said. “The operator doesn’t have to constantly open and close a door, which is time savings. It’s kind of nice for ergonomics, and maybe a little less fatigue.” 

He noted the vehicle’s easy access from both sides and that as a one-­passenger vehicle, it has only one seat. 

Classified for On-Road Use

WWI is offering the GO4 EXT as a Kia 1L gasoline engine model with a 66-hp, 3-cylinder, electronically fuel-injected four-speed automatic propulsion system. But Franz said an electric version of the original GO4 vehicle is also available and there will soon be an electric option for the GO4 EXT if the market demands electric. The gasoline version comes with an automatic transmission, which means more ease of use for the driver, Franz said, adding that the vehicle passes current California Air Resources Board (CARB) mandates. 

He also stressed the on-road capabilities of the GO4 EXT. Similar all-terrain or utility vehicles that governments typically use are classified as off-road vehicles and are only allowed on the road for short stints with a limit of about 25 miles per hour. But he describes the GO4 EXT as “automotive-­like grade.”

The GO4 EXT falls under the motorcycle or autocycle classification. Users can expect the GO4 EXT to last for eight-plus years, and it is designed for all-day use.

“Our GO4 is used in a pretty severe environment right now in the sense of parking enforcement,” he said. “They’re driving around all day long, stopping, idling, accelerating, and braking for eight or more hours a day, every day. The overall longevity of the vehicle is long compared to off-road vehicles.”