1965

It's true...if given a choice mechanics prefer a straight beam/leaf spring suspension.  All you have to do is look underneath a rig with TAK-4 and a straight axle to see what they mean.  TAK-4 greatly restricts access to the bottom of the engine and all it's pieces, parts, hoses, etc.   My agency runs nothing but Quantums and they all have straight axles.  Mothership Pierce was quite surprised to hear us not choose their torsion bar wonder and go with an old-school setup but a happy mechanic is a happy life.  

I don't think it's so much of an LAFD thing as it is a California thing.  California's terrain, call nature, and ever-changing DMV requirements  make it difficult to run some sort of tower ladder for 15 or 20 years.  Look at the big metro areas San Fran, Oakland, LA City, LA County, San Diego and they all run tillers.  They all have hills, most fires aerial require ladder access and often don't get to a defensive mode, plus high call volumes, and the vehicle weight (weight per axle) is more manageable for California.  If you look at LA City's Flickr page you'll see them take their tillers everywhere.  Even tight mountain roads. 

I don't think it's so much of an LAFD thing as it is a California thing.  California's terrain, call nature, and ever-changing DMV requirements  make it difficult to run some sort of tower ladder for 15 or 20 years.  Look at the big metro areas San Fran, Oakland, LA City, LA County, San Diego and they all run tillers.  They all have hills, most fires aerial require ladder access and often don't get to a defensive mode, plus high call volumes, and the vehicle weight (weight per axle) is more manageable for California.  If you look at LA City's Flickr page you'll see them take their tillers everywhere.  Even tight mountain roads.