For the City of Mount Pulaski, public works isn’t about doing just one job — it’s about being ready for everything. From concrete repairs and utility work to tree removal, brush pickup, and street sign installation, versatility matters.
Joshua Poffenbarger, Deputy Director of Public Works, has spent more than eight years helping keep the city running smoothly. When it came time to replace an aging Caterpillar 420 FIT backhoe, Joshua knew this decision needed to support the wide range of work his crew handles every day.
I had a hydraulic problem on my skid steer and called all my local dealers in the lake Ozark area. They were all weeks out and really acted like they didn’t want to take the job. We called Luby Equipment out of Springfield and they pulled it in the next day to diagnose, and got the ball rolling. Travis at the desk answered all our phone calls and let us know the progress. If my Case machine needs work from here on out, I’ll be taking it to Luby. Customer service was tip top
Response from the owner:Cody, we appreciate you taking the time to leave us a review. We’re glad we could get you taken care of on such short notice. We know downtime is money lost, so keeping customers updated and getting machines back to work matters. We’ll make sure Travis and the Springfield team see this.
Christopher Bugg
2 months ago
Guys are professional and know what there talking about
Response from the owner:We appreciate you taking the time to leave us a review Christopher. Please reach out if you need anything.
- Luby Equipment Team
Joseph Martinez
3 months ago
william ashworth
3 months ago
Response from the owner:Thank you so much for choosing Luby Equipment, William. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you need anything at all. We appreciate the opportunity to earn your business and look forward to supporting you with parts, service, rentals, or your next machine.
Cori Kremmer
4 months ago
Great service and nice clean building!
Response from the owner:It has been our pleasure to work with you Cori, please don't hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or need anything in the future!
Mustafa Elsherif
5 months ago
Josh was great to work with, He made everything easy and smooth. Highly recommend.
Mustafa Elsherif
5 months ago
Josh was great to work with, He made everything easy and smooth. Highly recommend.
Homer Brinker
5 months ago
Ethan Uphaus
6 months ago
josh was amazing salesman and was very patient with us through the entire process of getting a new machine and went above and beyond for us in all of our needs for the best price possible thank you again
Matthew Walth
6 months ago
Randy is my salesman and is always great, quick to answer a phone and always calls back if missed. The inside staff is always great to dealw with and full of knowledge while willing to work things out with you in a pinch.
Daryl Tibbs
6 months ago
Thanks for the very good quality and services yall have provided josh is a great guy
Doug Toops
7 months ago
Worked well with getting the job done
darren roberson
8 months ago
Bill Silzell
9 months ago
Your parts man is a great man extremely knowledgeable.
Mike “Mob” O'Brien
9 months ago
bros yolo miller
10 months ago
Kaitlyn Killy
11 months ago
Luke in parts took care of my father and his business for so many years. He gave phenomenal service. Professional and very knowledgeable. He went above and beyond without thinking twice every time. He’s a true asset to your company.
Response from the owner:Thank you, Kaitlyn! I will make sure Luke sees this.
Christopher Lair
11 months ago
Will definitely be checking there for parts in the future got what I needed fast!
Response from the owner:Thank you for the kind words! We know how important it is to keep your equipment running, and we’re glad we had the parts you needed in stock and could get them to you quickly. We appreciate your business and are always here to help!
Meaka Anne Knight
12 months ago
Robert Rodgers
1 year ago
Jenny was awesome! She was very informative and made the process very easy. Got a great deal on a nice machine. Will definitely be back for any future purchases.
Response from the owner:Thank you for the great review Robert!
Mark and Elizabeth Davidson
1 year ago
Great service... I will be back!!
Response from the owner:Thank you!
Asa Hutchins
1 year ago
They have been really helpful.
Response from the owner:Thank you Asa!
Chris and Holly Hughes
1 year ago
Response from the owner:Thank you for the 5 star review!
Cody Skinner
1 year ago
Response from the owner:Thank you Cody for the 5 star review!
Victor Dragan
1 year ago
Great place to deliver.
Facility have 2 ramps for low pro and flatbed.
Nice people. In and out 20 min
Response from the owner:Thank you Victor!
Rethinking the Traditional Backhoe
Rather than defaulting to another backhoe, Joshua took a step back and looked at how the city actually works.
“We do a lot of digging for the City of Mount Pulaski,” Joshua explains. “Concrete tear-outs, tree removal, stump removal — a little bit of everything.”
Over time, the limitations of a backhoe became more noticeable. Large logs from tree removal, heavy concrete debris, and material handling tasks often pushed the machine to its limits. Joshua wanted something that could dig, lift, and maneuver more efficiently — without constantly repositioning the machine.
Joshua began researching how wheeled excavators are used overseas, watching videos that showcased their role in street repairs, demolition, and urban work.
“In other countries, they use wheeled excavators for almost everything,” he says. “In my eyes, it was right up our alley.”
The ability to travel quickly on pavement, work in tight spaces, and handle both digging and lifting tasks made the Takeuchi TB395W a natural fit for city operations.
Built for Tight Spaces and Urban Work
One of the biggest advantages of the TB395W is its maneuverability. Whether navigating streets or accessing tighter areas, the machine provides flexibility a backhoe simply can’t match.
“I can take this machine down our alleys if I need to,” Joshua notes. “If there’s a tree down or something close to a building, I can do it with this machine compared to a backhoe.”
That confidence matters when crews are responding to unexpected situations around town.
Attachments That Change the Game
The City of Mount Pulaski paired their TB395W with a tilt rotator and a grapple — what Joshua calls a “crab claw.” For ditch work, tile installation, and road edge maintenance, the setup allows precise grading and shaping without constantly moving the machine or resetting outriggers.
“The fact that I can cut a ditch easier and work down the edge of the road without moving three feet at a time — this machine will do it all,” he says.
A Win for Brush and Tree Cleanup
One of the biggest immediate benefits has been brush and log handling. Anyone who’s dealt with tangled brush piles knows how time-consuming they can be.
“There are times it might take us 10 or 15 minutes just to get a brush pile picked up,” Joshua explains. “Now, I can rotate logs, place them exactly where I want, and keep everything from getting tangled. It’s a win-win for us.”
For Mount Pulaski, the Takeuchi TB395W isn’t just a new machine — it’s a long-term solution that improves efficiency, reduces downtime, and gives the public works team more capability in the field.
Luby Equipment was proud to support the City of Mount Pulaski in selecting a machine that truly fits their needs — today and for years to come.
Contact Us Today
To learn more or see the TB395W in action, contact your nearest Luby Equipment location today.
