What does it take to become a trusted technical resource in the asphalt industry? This week, Todd Mansell of Caterpillar shares how decades of hands-on experience evolved into a career dedicated to training crews, improving paving performance, and raising the standard of quality across projects. Todd explains why success in asphalt paving goes beyond materials and technology. It comes down to people, communication, and a clear understanding of the fundamentals. This episode also explores how technical expertise translates into real-world impact, along with the many career paths available in the asphalt pavement industry. Tune in to hear practical insights from someone who has spent a career helping others build better roads. This season is sponsored by FleetWatcher by AlignOps.
Episode released April 7, 2026.
R: We are continuing Season 10 by discussing careers and the people who have built a life in the asphalt industry. There are various opportunities available: some people perform paving every day, while others teach those crews how to do the work.
B: Today, I am interested to learn more about how one enters a position as a technical resource for the industry, bringing years of experience to the job to help crews in different roles succeed and achieve the best outcomes.
R: To join us for that conversation, we have invited Todd Mansell with Caterpillar. When I think about paving, he is one of the first people who comes to mind. Welcome to the podcast, Todd. Can you briefly introduce yourself for those who may not know you?
TM: Thank you, Richard and Brett. I have been with Caterpillar for 14 years. I come from a quality control background in the asphalt paving business. My main role currently involves a significant amount of training with paving crews on the ground and in classroom settings. I do this work to ensure better quality in our pavements.
B: Todd, could you provide some background on how you started? What was your first role in the asphalt industry and how did you get hooked?
TM: I started in 1987, the year I graduated high school. I was looking for a summer job to make money before starting college for civil engineering. I applied to the Ministry of Transportation in Ontario, Canada, which is where I am originally from. I began there with a summer internship in the planning and design section.
That is how it all started. To be honest, what initially hooked me was that it was a high-paying job that I knew would look good on my resume later.
R: Thinking back on your career, you have held a variety of roles, including lab technician, inspector, and QC manager. What is one memory that shaped how you see your career today?
TM: One significant example occurred during my second season with the Ministry when I moved into the construction section. I worked with contractors paving the highway while serving as an inspector for the department.
I realized that everyone must work together to achieve the best quality pavement. A contractor can do everything correctly, but if the inspectors are not on the same page, the quality will not be there. That was a major realization for me: it is a team effort rather than an individual one.
B: Is there one thing about your career journey that would surprise people who do not work in the industry?
TM: It sounds cliché, but the people have kept me excited to be part of this industry. Initially, I came very close to pursuing mechanical engineering. I had a sponsorship with a bearing company that was going to support my education at the General Motors Institute. Instead of designing cars that drive on the roads, I ended up helping to build the roads themselves. If you had asked me when I was leaving high school, I thought I would be in civil engineering building skyscrapers.
R: Thirty-five years later, you are putting asphalt on the roads. You mentioned that you perform a lot of training in the lab, the field, and the classroom. You noted that quality is what ultimately matters. What does quality paving mean to you, and is there a job where everything came together perfectly?
TM: Quality paving is teamwork. I have learned over the years that you can have the best materials and the best asphalt mix design in the world, but if the people placing and compacting it are not doing their jobs, you will not get a quality project.
Conversely, you can have borderline materials, but a solid crew doing things the right way can still produce a high-quality pavement. When everything aligns, we get the best results.
A significant eye-opener in my career occurred while I was a QC manager for a job on Highway 101 near King City in Southern California. I spent the first 15 years of my career doing mix designs and lab work. The field crew was on the verge of being shut down because they were not meeting density requirements; they were at a 0.98 pay factor.
I got frustrated in the lab hearing them claim the mix design was the problem, so I went to the field for three weeks to work with the roller operators. It was a people problem, not a materials problem. Once we got everyone on the same page and communicating, we ended the job with a 1.03 pay factor. That was a proud moment and a great learning experience.
B: You have provided training across North America and globally. Are there universal challenges that crews face on a day-to-day basis? How do you help operators and laborers overcome them?
TM: Many issues are common worldwide. One major challenge currently is employee training. Explaining the "why" during training is what connects with people because most everyone wants to do a good job.
Often, low-quality work happens when people have not been explained why we do things, such as why we need 10 to 14 impacts per foot during compaction or why we need auger extensions when paving 17 feet wide to avoid segregation. If we explain the reasoning and provide the tools, the training is successful.
R: We are moving into our quick-fire questions. Please answer in one word or one sentence. What is the best piece of equipment you have ever worked with?
TM: I would have to say a Cat paver.
B: Early mornings or late nights on the job?
TM: Late nights, though not as much anymore.
R: Classroom teaching or job site training?
TM: Job site training.
B: What keeps you excited about paving after 30 years?
TM: Every day is different, and every challenge is a new opportunity for learning.
R: What is one word you would use to describe people in the asphalt industry?
TM: Friendly.
B: If you were to give advice to someone joining a paving crew or thinking about a long-term career in this industry, what would you offer?
TM: The opportunities in this industry are limitless. People often think of the labor-intensive, dirty parts of the job, but there are paths for everyone. If you enjoy computers, electronics, and data management, there is a path for you. If you prefer hands-on labor, being outdoors, or even chemistry, there is a career in asphalt.
R: As someone who works with contractors every day to improve quality, what is one device or piece of equipment that is currently underutilized in the U.S. that would help them achieve specifications or earn bonuses?
TM: Auger extensions on paver screeds. People do not use them as often as they should. Without them at the proper widths, you get segregation. This leads to issues with longitudinal joints, which are a primary failure mode for pavements. If you do not use auger extensions, you do not get material out to that joint.
R: That is a perfect answer because it does not require buying a hundred-thousand-dollar piece of equipment.
TM: Modern technologies help, but they all go back to the fundamentals: auger extensions, auger height, and head of material. We have sensors now that provide feedback, but the basics still matter.
B: Are you seeing technology or automation helping crews avoid missing those basic best practices?
TM: Technology has allowed us to measure these factors and provide feedback, which is a major strength. It is more about the data than just automation. We can now measure that augers are turning at 20 to 40 revolutions per minute rather than 60. The data provides the objective truth that helps advance quality in our industry.
R: How would you describe your career in one sentence?
TM: It has been a worldwide adventure of meeting great people and having the opportunity to see many different places and learning opportunities.
B: Where was your favorite or most memorable place to visit for work?
TM: One favorite was working on the Pebble Beach golf course in California. We were doing cart paths, but the history of the course made it a neat job.
Another memorable experience was in China. We were paving a four-lane freeway in the mountains. The road was open to traffic, but we did not see a single vehicle for a long time. It was amazing to see such a large road with no traffic.
R: Todd, thank you for spending time with us today to talk about your career. I look forward to seeing you at upcoming meetings.
TM: Thank you both. I appreciate being here. I love the quality in our industry and want to keep it moving forward.