# Why does Utah have different concrete mixing trucks than everywhere else?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-utah-have-different-concrete-mixing-trucks-than-everywhere-else/668277
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [September 7, 2013, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-utah-have-different-concrete-mixing-trucks-than-everywhere-else/668277 "2013-09-07T20:35:55Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Darryl\_Lict](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darryl_Lict)
#### Post date: [September 7, 2013, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-utah-have-different-concrete-mixing-trucks-than-everywhere-else/668277/1 "2013-09-07T20:35:55Z")
I spent the summer in Park City and couldn’t help but notice that all the concrete mixing trucks deliver the cement at the front of the truck rather than the back. This is different than all the ones in California and every where else I’ve been. Here’s a site with a picture of the type of truck I’m talking about.
> **[Utah Concrete Contractor | Ready Mix Concrete Supply | Geneva Rock](https://genevarock.com/products/concrete/)**
>
> Geneva Rock is Utah's #1 concrete contractor for ready mix concrete. Our supply has helped build many of the buildings in SLC, BYU, U of U, and much more.
Is there some Mormon mafia that controls the cement industry or something? Why is it that there is one style of truck that dominates the cement industry?
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### Author:  [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)
#### Post date: [September 7, 2013, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-utah-have-different-concrete-mixing-trucks-than-everywhere-else/668277/2 "2013-09-07T20:37:33Z")
I’ve seen those. Mostly on HGTV, so probably from Canada, but I’ve seen them.
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### Author:  [@GreasyJack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreasyJack)
#### Post date: [September 7, 2013, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-utah-have-different-concrete-mixing-trucks-than-everywhere-else/668277/3 "2013-09-07T20:44:20Z")
The front discharge ones have a shorter wheel base, and so are more maneuverable. It could just be you see those up by Park City because they have to get into tighter spaces when building extravagant ski lodges and such up there.
The wikipedia page for [concrete mixers](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Concrete_mixer) does mention that the front-discharge cement mixer was invented by a guy in Utah, so perhaps there is some cultural bias going on as well.
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### Author:  [@robby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robby)
#### Post date: [September 7, 2013, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-utah-have-different-concrete-mixing-trucks-than-everywhere-else/668277/4 "2013-09-07T20:47:49Z")
It’s not just Utah. I’ve seen many of these here in New England as well. It’s simply a newer style of concrete truck that allows the driver to easily see and control the chute where the concrete is being dispensed. The older style requires the driver to carefully back the truck up to where it is needed, and usually requires a second worker to control the chute.
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### Author:  [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)
#### Post date: [September 7, 2013, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-utah-have-different-concrete-mixing-trucks-than-everywhere-else/668277/5 "2013-09-07T21:52:03Z")
When I was a little kid, living in suburban Chicago in the early 1970s, one of the things I noticed when we’d go up to Green Bay to visit my grandmother was that the cement trucks were “backwards” – all of the cement trucks in GB were of the front-discharge type, whereas all of the cement trucks I’d seen in Chicago were rear-discharge. (Yes, I was a geek about trucks and cars as a kid, and this difference really stood out to me. 😉 )
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### Author:  [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)
#### Post date: [September 7, 2013, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-utah-have-different-concrete-mixing-trucks-than-everywhere-else/668277/6 "2013-09-07T22:05:24Z")
Wow. Here in Southern Ontario, I don’t think I’ve ever seen a front-discharge cement truck. I’ll have to keep my eyes open.
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### Author:  [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)
#### Post date: [September 7, 2013, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-utah-have-different-concrete-mixing-trucks-than-everywhere-else/668277/7 "2013-09-07T22:08:07Z")
I just recently noticed that the front-discharge trucks are almost universal up here in the NE. I’d never seen them before.
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### Author:  [@Student\_Driver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Student_Driver)
#### Post date: [September 7, 2013, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-utah-have-different-concrete-mixing-trucks-than-everywhere-else/668277/8 "2013-09-07T23:01:49Z")
I’ve seen them here in Indiana. Don’t know their percentage relative to rear-discharge, but they’re not uncommon.
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### Author:  [@svd678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/svd678)
#### Post date: [September 7, 2013, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-utah-have-different-concrete-mixing-trucks-than-everywhere-else/668277/9 "2013-09-07T23:04:33Z")
Saw one in Wisc. recently. They’re not at all rare.
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### Author:  [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)
#### Post date: [September 8, 2013, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-utah-have-different-concrete-mixing-trucks-than-everywhere-else/668277/10 "2013-09-08T01:55:06Z")
Every cement mixer truck I’ve seen here in Georgia for the last month is a front chute type.
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### Author:  [@Ranger\_Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger_Jeff)
#### Post date: [September 8, 2013, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-utah-have-different-concrete-mixing-trucks-than-everywhere-else/668277/11 "2013-09-08T02:09:59Z")
Nothing rare about them in my experience.
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### Author:  [@brad\_d](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brad_d)
#### Post date: [September 9, 2013, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-utah-have-different-concrete-mixing-trucks-than-everywhere-else/668277/12 "2013-09-09T14:53:47Z")
I live in the Los Angeles area, and can’t recall ever having seen one of those front-chute types.
Whether that’s because they’re unusual around here or I’m just not very observant will require more data to determine…
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### Author:  [@eliot22](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eliot22)
#### Post date: [August 24, 2017, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-utah-have-different-concrete-mixing-trucks-than-everywhere-else/668277/13 "2017-08-24T16:33:29Z")
It has to do with weight restrictions. The cement trucks in California can’t hold as much concrete, so they are lighter and don’t exceed the california weight limits.
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### Author:  [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)
#### Post date: [August 24, 2017, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-utah-have-different-concrete-mixing-trucks-than-everywhere-else/668277/14 "2017-08-24T19:59:51Z")
What do weight restrictions have to do with which end the concrete comes out of?
Anyway, front-discharge trucks are common in Florida.
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### Author:  [@Just\_Passing\_Through](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Passing_Through)
#### Post date: [August 24, 2017, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-utah-have-different-concrete-mixing-trucks-than-everywhere-else/668277/15 "2017-08-24T21:20:06Z")
They are concrete trucks, not cement trucks. Cement is a part of concrete. Cement is a powder that delivers in bulk tankers. Concrete is a mixture that delivers in what you are discussing. I drove both quite a few years ago.
The front discharge trucks are lower in center of gravity and are generally all wheel drive. The beasts I drove were rear discharge, with the water tank above the cab. Squirrely things to drive. Front discharge driver can control the chute position from the cab. That sure would be sweet compared to what I had to deal with.
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### Author:  [@HMS\_Irruncible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HMS_Irruncible)
#### Post date: [August 24, 2017, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-utah-have-different-concrete-mixing-trucks-than-everywhere-else/668277/16 "2017-08-24T21:27:24Z")
> [@Darryl\_Lict](#):
>
> Is there some Mormon mafia that controls the cement industry or something? Why is it that there is one style of truck that dominates the cement industry?
The trucks have to wear a certain type of undercarriage.
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### Author:  [@smithsb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smithsb)
#### Post date: [August 24, 2017, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-utah-have-different-concrete-mixing-trucks-than-everywhere-else/668277/17 "2017-08-24T21:33:06Z")
> [@HMS\_Irruncible](#):
>
> The trucks have to wear a certain type of undercarriage.
Gold star for you. Hurt myself grinning.🙂
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### Author:  [@JHBoom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JHBoom)
#### Post date: [August 24, 2017, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-utah-have-different-concrete-mixing-trucks-than-everywhere-else/668277/18 "2017-08-24T21:49:56Z")
Front-discharge concrete trucks have been common in PA & NJ for several years.
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#):
>
> What do weight restrictions have to do with which end the concrete comes out of?
Weight distribution. CA, for example, has axle & vehicle weight restrictions that are [more restrictive](http://www.superdumps.com/bridge_laws/?state=California) than many other states, and more restrictive than the Federal Bridge Law, making certain styles of trucks more advantageous for CA use.
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### Author:  [@Isilder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isilder)
#### Post date: [August 25, 2017, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-utah-have-different-concrete-mixing-trucks-than-everywhere-else/668277/19 "2017-08-25T02:18:33Z")
Maybe in the states with front delivery trucks, the cost of road clean ups is more likely to be applied to the concrete company?? so the company chooses vehicles which cause less spills on the road ?
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### Author:  [@jjakucyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjakucyk)
#### Post date: [August 25, 2017, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-utah-have-different-concrete-mixing-trucks-than-everywhere-else/668277/20 "2017-08-25T02:32:29Z")
When I first saw one of those front discharge trucks it was coming out a side street about 100’ down the road from me, going at a good clip too. I thought it was a regular truck that was out of control rolling backwards. Nearly shat myself.
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