On the Job: How Tessmer Trucking Puts the Western Star 49X to Work in Logging
What does it take to haul nearly 60,000 pounds of timber from a remote logging site through the forests of northern Wisconsin?
In this episode of On the Job with Western Star, we head to Antigo, Wisconsin, to meet Nate Tessmer, owner-operator of Tessmer Trucking. With more than 20 years of experience, Nate knows what it takes to navigate frozen logging roads, manage heavy loads, and keep timber moving from the forest to the mill.
Go behind the scenes to see how Nate puts his Western Star 49X to work, from navigating miles of off-road terrain to loading and hauling timber with specialized equipment. See how Nate's experience and specialized truck configuration help him tackle the demands of logging while maximizing payload on every haul.
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What Does it Take to Haul Timber in Northern Wisconsin?
Unlike conventional highway hauling, logging requires trucks to navigate both rugged forest roads and paved highways, often while carrying heavy, irregular loads. Operators must account for changing terrain, seasonal conditions, payload requirements and specialized equipment to keep timber moving from the harvesting site to the mill.
For Nate Tessmer, winter is one of the busiest times of the year. Frozen ground helps make remote logging roads accessible, while his six-axle Western Star 49X is configured to support the demands of hauling heavy timber loads. Operating under a stated gross weight limit of 98,000 pounds, Nate knows that maximizing payload within applicable limits is an important part of running a successful logging operation.
"You want to get as much as you can on that payload, because that's how you get paid."
- Nate Tessmer
Why Transmission Choice Matters On the Job
The right truck configuration can make a difference in demanding vocational applications, and transmission selection is an important consideration.
His Western Star 49X is equipped with an 18-speed manual transmission but seeing how fellow operator Shawn’s DT12-equipped 49X handles the same challenges has helped inform his next truck purchase. In the episode, Nate explains why he plans to switch to the Detroit DT12-V automated manual transmission.
It's a firsthand look at how experienced operators evaluate truck performance, compare configurations, and make decisions about the equipment they depend on every day.
"His truck can just steadily pull away. It knows right when to shift at the right time."
- Nate Tessmer
