Manteca’s newest fire engine rides higher for a reason.It has a higher clearance making it more effective to tackle grass fires as well as rural mutual aid calls south of the 120 Bypass.The $500,000 replacement engine is being housed at the Union Road station to address those needs.The longstanding partnership with Lathrop Manteca Fire District has improved emergency response times for both the City of Manteca and the district that protects Lathrop and the rural areas surrounding Manteca.The new engine replaces a 1989 open cab engine that had become problematic due to its age and mounting repair needs. The engine it replaced had been in back-up service to the initial engine assigned to the station. Typically fire departments strive to replace engines every 20 years due to wear and tear with engines serving in a front-line role for 10 years and then as a back-up and/or secondary response engine for 10 years.