ALLENTOWN, PA (July 23, 2025) – David Hartzell, President of Mack Defense, sat down with Mark Willis on SiriusXM’s Road Dog Trucking radio show to reflect on how Mack’s long military heritage and reputation for rugged durability continue to shape its role in modern defense logistics and vehicle innovation. According to Road Dog’s own announcement on X (formerly Twitter), Willis teased the conversation by noting Mack’s service to the military dating back to World War I and the company’s continuation of that legacy (See Road Dog Trucking Post On X (Twitter)).
During the segment, Hartzell traced Mack’s military involvement from the iconic AC‑model trucks of World War I—famously nicknamed “Bulldogs” by British forces—to its more recent programs like the M917A3 Heavy Dump Truck (HDT), which is based on the commercial Granite platform but ruggedized for battlefield and disaster recovery work. He highlighted that over 500 of these HDTs have been delivered to the U.S. Army so far, underlining Mack’s ongoing commitment to reliability and innovation.
Hartzell also discussed Mack Defense’s involvement in the Common Tactical Truck (CTT) program and the emerging Medium Tactical Truck (MTT) initiative with the U.S. Marine Corps. He explained how the company is leveraging its century-old engineering expertise along with modern advancements—such as hybrid-electric systems, open-architecture safety features, and autonomous-ready designs—to produce purpose-built defense vehicles that meet evolving mission requirements.
The central themes of the interview revolved around:
Military‐grade durability rooted in legacy: Mack’s early military vehicles established the Bulldog reputation for toughness, a legacy that remains central to its brand identity today.
Commercial foundation with tactical upgrades: Programs like the M917A3 show how Mack adapts proven commercial platforms—Granite—to military specifications with enhancements like all-wheel drive, heavy‑duty suspension, active safety systems, and reinforced chassis.
Forward‐leaning innovation: Upcoming CTT and MTT platforms incorporate hybrid power, silent‑watch capability, and modular open‑systems architecture to support future technologies and field adaptability.
For SiriusXM subscribers who missed the live broadcast, the full interview segment is available under the channel “Road Dog Trucking News.” Just log into your SiriusXM account and search for that channel name to hear Hartzell’s insights directly from the show.
CAPTION: X (Twitter) Post Promoting Mack Defense On SiriusXM’s Road Dog Trucking Interview On 7/23/25
Mack Defense, a wholly owned subsidiary of Mack Trucks, is responsible for the sale of heavy-duty trucks to federal- and ministerial-level customers globally. For more information, please visit mackdefense.org.
Mack Defense, LLC, is part of the Volvo Group, which is driving prosperity through transport solutions by offering trucks, buses, construction equipment, power solutions for marine and industrial applications, financing and services that increase customer uptime and productivity. Founded in 1927, the Volvo Group is committed to shaping the future landscape of sustainable transport and infrastructure solutions. The Volvo Group is headquartered in Gothenburg, Sweden, employs about 100,000 people and serves customers in more than 190 markets. In 2022, net sales amounted to about $47 billion. Volvo shares are listed on Nasdaq Stockholm. For more information, please visit www.volvogroup.com.
This effort was sponsored by the U.S. Government under Other Transaction Authority number W15QKN-17-9-1025 with the National Advanced Mobility Consortium, Inc. (NAMC). Reference herein to any specific commercial company, product, process, or service by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise, does not necessarily constitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the United States Government or the Department of the Army (DA). The opinions of the authors expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect those of the United States Government, the DA, or the National Advanced Mobility Consortium, Inc., and shall not be used for advertising or product endorsement purposes. For more information, please visit www.namcconsortium.org.