Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/354293
with snow cover, ice and tire chains. These woods roads — they're not U.S. 2," he says, referencing the main highway that serves Iron River. "They're 12-foot- wide with stumps, rocks and two-foot holes. A lot of equipment isn't built to last in that environment." Fortunately for Donati, the Model 567 is built to last in the forest environ- ment, as was each of the six Peterbilt vocational models that he owned before it. "These trucks take a beating," he says. "There's a lot of wear and tear on the cabs, the frames and the suspen- sions. But every Peterbilt I've ever owned has held up. I've never had to touch the dash, the frame has always remained strong and the Peterbilt suspension, there's not a better one out there. I've tried them all. This is my third truck with the Peterbilt air-ride." Strong resale After about 500,000 miles of hard labor, Donati's past Peterbilts have always met a willing secondary market. "I'm happy with the price I get for them," he says. "I had a guy drive up from lower Michigan for my last one. He had looked at six trucks on his way up, then saw mine and followed me home. He called me 24 hours later and said, 'I want that truck.'" But perhaps most appealing to Donati are some of the creature comforts of the Model 567, starting with the ride. "It's rigid, and it has to be to do what we do," he says. "And while it seems to be very stout, they didn't give away any of the ride quality. "To be honest with you, I was think- ing about a change. But I saw this truck and they told me it could be spec'ed for logging, and I just realized how well it fit me. I wanted room in the cab, and it gives me room. I wanted maneuverabili- ty, and the steering is phenomenal. I can straighten out on some of these jobs where I see other guys still trying to make the turn. "These trucks take a beating, but every Peterbilt I've ever owned has held up. The Peterbilt suspension... there's not a better one out there."