Hernando County Hosts Free Touch-A-Truck Event for Families in April

Most children will never sit behind the wheel of a vacuum truck or get a close look inside the cab of a county camera truck. The Hernando County Department of Public Works is setting out to change that for one Saturday morning in April.

The DPW is hosting a free Touch-A-Truck community event on Saturday, April 11, 2026, from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at its facility at 1525 E Jefferson St. in Brooksville. The event is open to all ages and carries no admission cost.

Seven county divisions are bringing equipment to the lot for families to explore up close. Alongside DPW road and maintenance vehicles, the day's lineup includes trucks and specialty gear from Fleet Management, the Utilities Department, the Sign Shop, the Traffic division, Transit (TheBus), and the county's Inspectors unit. Among the specific vehicles confirmed for display are a camera truck, mini excavator, vacuum truck, and roller, along with other large pieces of equipment that most residents only see passing on a job site.

The county has built the event around hands-on interaction: children and adults can climb into cabs, examine the machinery up close, and talk directly with the county staff who operate it every week across Hernando County. Officials describe Touch-A-Truck as a way to demystify public works operations and build public trust by giving residents a casual, face-to-face look at how county infrastructure is maintained.

For kids curious about construction equipment, public transit, or careers in public service, the event doubles as an early introduction to what those jobs actually involve. County organizers have framed it as a community engagement tool in line with their broader outreach mission, similar to library programming and public-safety events held throughout the year.

Safety is central to the day's format. Organizers ask that adults supervise children around the heavy equipment at all times, and county staff will be present throughout to guide visitors from vehicle to vehicle.

The DPW facility at 1525 E Jefferson St., Brooksville, FL 34601 serves as both the event site and the primary contact point. Anyone interested in participating as a vehicle exhibitor or volunteer can contact the DPW or the county's Public Information Office. The April timing puts the event just ahead of the summer construction season, when much of this equipment will be back out on county roads.