From frozen roads to 60,000-pound loads, Tessmer Trucking demonstrates the demands of modern logging

PORTLAND, Ore. (Nov. 12, 2026) — Western Star, a brand of Daimler Truck North America, released the second episode of “On the Job with Western Star,” featuring Nate Tessmer, owner-operator of Tessmer Trucking in Antigo, Wisconsin, as he navigates frozen logging roads with his Western Star 49X. The series brings viewers closer to the people behind demanding vocational jobs, the work they perform every day and the role their Western Star X-Series trucks play in helping them get it done.

As the series expands into additional vocational applications across North America, Western Star invites customers to share their own stories for consideration in a future episode. Customers can submit details about their work, the challenges they face and the role their Western Star trucks play at https://woobox.com/nioimm.

“Behind every demanding vocational job is someone whose skill and experience make that work possible,” said Alex Martin-Banzer, Western Star brand manager. “We created ‘On the Job’ to give those customers a platform and help people understand what their work really takes. We want our customers to demonstrate the knowledge and experience they bring to the job, the challenges they take on every day and how their Western Star helps them keep moving.”

'On the Job' Logging in Northern Wisconsin

Before sunrise in northern Wisconsin, logging operators are already heading into the woods. Winter brings some of the industry’s busiest months when frozen ground opens access deeper into logging sites and loaded trucks can travel miles off-road hauling timber back to the mill.

Logging requires more than getting from point A to point B. Tessmer’s day involves traveling from highway to remote logging roads, positioning the truck for loading, managing weight and hauling timber to different mills based on species and destination.

His six-axle Western Star 49X is configured to operate at a gross vehicle weight of up to 98,000 pounds. On the day of filming, Tessmer hauled close to 60,000 pounds of timber, making accurate loading and maximizing legal payload an important part of the job.

“You want to get as much as you can on that payload, because that’s how you get paid,” Tessmer said. “You want to be right up to the legal limit.”

The truck also has to handle dramatically different operating conditions throughout the day, transitioning from highway miles to snow- and ice-covered logging roads deep in the woods.

“This thing has been awesome,” Tessmer said. “I’ve had it for over a year. I’ve got 118,000 miles on it. It’s built to be in the woods.”

The episode shows how the combination of operator knowledge, specialized equipment and the right truck configuration helps keep timber moving from the logging site to the mill.

Western Star Looks for the Next ‘On the Job’ Story

From logging and mining to construction and agriculture, demanding work happens every day in places most people never see. Every operation has a unique story, and we'd like to hear yours. Tell us about the work you do, the challenges you face and how your Western Star helps you get the job done for an opportunity to be featured in a future episode of “On the Job with Western Star.” 

Submit your story: https://woobox.com/nioimm 

Watch “On the Job with Western Star: Tessmer Trucking”: https://www.westernstartrucks.com/blog/on-the-job-how-tessmer-trucking-puts-the-western-star-49x-to-work-in-logging/

About Western Star

Western Star Truck Sales, Inc., based in Portland, Oregon, specializes in producing heavy-duty Class 8 vocational and on-highway trucks. Western Star is a leading manufacturer of purpose-built trucks and is a brand of Daimler Truck North America.

About Daimler Truck North America

Daimler Truck North America LLC (DTNA), headquartered in Portland, Oregon, is the largest manufacturer of heavy-duty trucks in North America and a leading provider of innovative products, services and technologies for the commercial transportation industry. DTNA designs, engineers, manufactures and markets medium- and heavy-duty trucks, school buses, vehicle chassis and related technologies and components under the Freightliner, Western Star, Thomas Built Buses, Freightliner Custom Chassis Corp. and Detroit brands. As a subsidiary of Daimler Truck AG, one of the world’s leading commercial vehicle manufacturers, DTNA is dedicated to delivering exceptional value and support to its customers — helping them keep the world moving.