As part of Fleet Maintenance's America 250 series, we traveled to the Mack Experience Center and History Museum in Allentown, Pennsylvania, to explore how one OEM became a fixture of American trucking and manufacturing.

In this episode, Fleet Maintenance editor Lucas Roberto speaks with museum curator Doug Maney about the company's decision to stay in Allentown (where in the 1970s, they were "closing all the factories down"), the innovations that helped define Mack's reputation, and the World War I origins of the iconic Bulldog mascot.

Looking beyond the company's own history, Maney argues Mack has played a much larger role in shaping the modern world.

"Mack history parallels American history, which parallels world history," he said. "Around the world, infrastructure, dams, power, water supply has included Mack trucks in one way or another."

The conversation also explores the legacy of the Mack Model AC, the evolution of the company's engineering, and why Maney believes innovation has remained at the heart of the brand for more than 125 years.

• 00:00:00 - Why Mack never left Allentown
• 00:05:20 - How the Bulldog became an icon
• 00:08:13 - Mack’s place in American history