Beau Ferrick poses in front of a new Tornado Hydrovac unit his company, Hydrovac Solutions, has on display at the WWETT Show in Indianapolis this week. Ferrick helped with the graphics on the truck, but Thursday marked the first time he had seen the unit in person.
Interested in Trucks?
Get Trucks articles, news and videos right in your inbox! Sign up now.
Trucks + Get AlertsAlthough he helped with some design input, Beau Ferrick says it was still surreal to see the hydrovac rig he would be driving back home following this year’s Water & Wastewater Equipment, Treatment & Transport (WWETT) Show in Indianapolis.
The Tornado Hydrovac unit, on display in the Custom Truck One Source booth is an eye-catching matte black rig with a wrap on it dedicated to the U.S. military branches.
“It’s definitely going to be an honor to drive something like this, just to honor the guys that have served and fallen for our country,” says Ferrick, who is an operator for Louisiana-based Hydrovac Solutions. “My company and I worked on this a little bit to make sure it was perfect and there were no hiccups, to make sure we were honoring the guys who served.”
Ferrick, who served in the U.S. Marine Corps from 2010 to 2014 and then did a short period with the reserve force afterward, says he traded about 100 text messages back and forth with Custom Truck to get the machine just right.
The debris tank displays American flag stripes along with a U.S. military member in combat gear. The soldier is standing next to a colored U.S. flag and then the Hydrovac Solutions company logo is printed on the tank as well.
The cab of the truck has stars scattered, and printed on the heated cabinet on each side of the truck is a soldier with the American flag draped over his shoulder. The hydroexcavator also has the emblems of the U.S. Army, Marine Corps, Navy and Air Force.
“I don’t think my boss is going to let me touch it,” Ferrick says. “It’s going to go back to the shop, they’re going to show it off for a couple of companies and then I’ll take it out on the road.”
Ferrick has been with Hydrovac Solutions for eight years. He started with the company after earning his CDL from his reserve unit.
“With this truck, a percentage of each ticket per day will go to a fund of their choice — Wounded Warriors, Raiders, anything that they want to donate we will do that in their name,” Ferrick says. “And we’ll match that with a donation in our name.”
Now Ferrick just has to wait until the show wraps up on Saturday before he can make the trek back to the Hydrovac Solutions office with it.
“I want to hop in and go to work now,” Ferrick says.
