Rokbak RA40s rocking the Rockies

Jura Creek Enterprises has purchased three Rokbak RA40 articulated haulers to move huge amounts of aggregates, stone and rock close to North America’s largest and most famous mountain range.

In Western Canada, Jura Creek Enterprises has purchased three Rokbak RA40 articulated haulers to move huge amounts of aggregates, stone and rock close to North America’s largest and most famous mountain range.

The Canadian province of Alberta is said to be ‘the place where the bold and the adventurous come to play’. It is therefore fitting that a trio of Rokbak articulated haulers have made the journey from Scotland there to work under the shadow of the famous Rocky Mountains.

Jura Creek Enterprises personalises and names all the equipment it buys – and the new Rokbak recruits are no different. Each one of Jura Creek Enterprises’ RA40 articulated haulers has been named after characters from the classic cartoon series The Flintstones, with their relevant prehistoric character sticker proudly displayed on the side of the truck. 

‘Wilma’, ‘Betty’ and ‘Pebbles’ were delivered to Jura Creek Enterprises in Q2 2023 as the first RA40s in the region, and immediately put into production at the Crowsnest Pass quarry. The site produces high calcium material including limestone aggregate, stackables and armourstone, with Jura Creek Enterprises selling about 1,360 tonnes (1,500 tons) from it per day. And with quality personnel and equipment the bedrock of Jura Creek Enterprises, the RA40s have fitted in well, delivering both comfort and efficiency to ensure the operators have a ‘yabba-dabba-do time’ while working on shift.

Each RA40 at Crowsnest Pass needs to transport blasted limestone to a crusher or trommel screen in one-mile cycles. The RA40 articulated steering system ensures optimal manoeuvrability, enabling the hauler to navigate through tight spaces and tackle steep inclines with ease, a feature proving indispensable on the challenging terrain in Alberta. The RA40 boasts an impressive hauling capacity of 38 metric tonnes (40 tons) and a heaped capacity of 23.0 mᶟ / 30.3 ydᶟ, ideal for transporting the substantial volumes of materials required for Jura Creek Enterprises’ operation.

“We needed robust haulers, and that’s exactly what we got,” says Travis Deglow, Principal for Jura Creek Enterprises. “They’ve taken to the terrain and handle the surfaces well, and are proving to be real assets to what we’re doing at Crowsnest Pass.”

Jura Creek Enterprises has over 40 years’ experience working in the trucking and mining industries of Western Canada, specialising in blasting, crushing and screening. The company takes great pride in its role within the community, striving to minimise environmental impact through modern technology and sustainability policies. Reducing environmental impact is similarly a key tenet of the Rokbak brand. The dump trucks have lean-burning engines and a confirmed low-fuel consumption, with the RA40 having a class-leading transmission fluid change interval of 6,000 hours.

In 2021, Jura Creek Enterprises expanded its operations to Crowsnest Pass, a low mountain pass across the Continental Divide of the Canadian Rockies on the Alberta–British Columbia border. Jura Creek Enterprises is now the prime supplier of limestone aggregates and armourstone in Southern Alberta and south-eastern British Columbia, the two regions which the Canadian Rockies Mountain range spans.

In Alberta, the coldest months of the year (January and February) can see temperatures drop to as low as -30 to -40°C (-22 to -40°F) for short periods of time. “Operator comfort for us is integral and the RA40 has provided that,” says Travis. “The HVAC provides the right temperature control for comfort on cold or hot days, the cab is extremely quiet and the smooth ride has equated to high production.” 

Headwater Equipment is the trusted Rokbak articulated hauler dealer for the province of Alberta. The company has been providing Jura Creek Enterprises with heavy construction equipment via direct sales, rentals, service and parts since 2020. Jura Creek Enterprises purchased the RA40s from Headwater Equipment with standard warranty and a full maintenance package that covers the units for the first 3,000 hours of operations. Providing aftersales and services, Headwater Equipment will perform all the scheduled maintenance on these units as part of the purchase package, keeping the cost of ownership to a minimum.

“Being in a relatively remote location, it is so reassuring to know that there are qualified technicians ready to correct any problems that might develop,” says Travis. “It is nice to work with Rokbak and Headwater Equipment who understand our equipment needs and provide the support needed to keep Jura Creek Enterprises up and running all year round. Being the first to acquire RA40s in Alberta, we’re glad to be helping to pioneer the Rokbak brand in Canada.”

"It’s brilliant to hear how well the three RA40 units have been performing on site for the Jura Creek Enterprises team,” says Rokbak Regional Sales Manager Greg Gerbus. “Rokbak trucks are popular with customers because they are hardworking, robust and easy to operate and maintain. There’s a strong future ahead for Rokbak in Canada.”