The specific application needs of vocational truck suspensions
The first question you need to ask when spec’ing trucking equipment is a simple one: What’s it going to be doing? Understanding the application and what’s necessary for the equipment to perform properly is the most important thing to know before making any purchasing decision. Take vocational suspensions, for example. They have different needs than
Putting the right truck in the right application
Six months. Sixteen days. Eighteen hours. That’s how long David Carson had held the title of Western Star president, and Daimler Trucks North America (DTNA) chief diversity officer, when he took the stage during a recently held press conference. Back in January, David stepped into his new office facing an industry outlook that was mostly
The automatic difference in vocational applications
In the vocational world, durability, dependability and ease of use are bullet points that often trump fuel efficiency. Allison Transmission has a strong foothold in medium-duty markets, where fully automatic transmissions make up 90% of the marketplace. The difference between a fully automatic transmission like an Allison six-speed transmission and an AMT is that when
Leaner and meaner: Cummins readies the X12 engine for the road
Late last summer, just before Cummins unveiled its Class 7 all-electric concept truck, the engine OEM took journalists through a tour of its technical center, an incubator for the hatching the next generation of powertrain technologies. We walked through corridors of testing bays. The rumbling of super-secret prototype engines being put through rigorous testing procedures
Transformational technologies: Electric vehicles from Workhorse Group are filling vocational and last mile delivery needs
“It’s all about savings,” says Angela Strand, vice president at Workhorse Group. “Electric vehicles have an higher acquisition cost,” she says, “but our experience over nearly two million miles of operations indicates that operating and maintenance costs are 60% to 70% lower. “Our data shows that a traditional Class 5 truck costs one dollar per
Talkin’ tough transmissions: automatic, automated manual transmissions for vocational applications
Crawling through cramped city streets in stop-and-go pick-up and delivery applications. Driving through the dugout tire tracks of a dirt-caked construction site. Rolling through residential refuse duties. Vocational applications tackled by Class 6 through 8 trucks can place unique demands on transmissions compared to their on-highway counterparts. Yet that hasn’t stopped the trend turning toward
Getting the most value from your vocational fleet
As light- and medium-duty work trucks become more complex, well-written specifications are increasingly important for avoiding costly mistakes. That is the key message in an article by Christopher Lyon, director of fleet relations at NTEA, as part of the organization’s efforts to provide resources for improving operational efficiency and fleet performance. Efficient vocational vehicle specifications
A diverse offering: Western Star sharpens its vocational focus
In addition to her duties as Western Star’s president, Kelley Platt is also the chief diversity officer for Daimler Trucks North America (DTNA). It’s a position that urges the company to reach out beyond the normal channels one would think to pull from when hiring and promoting. “Daimler Trucks North America, as a company, wants
Photo gallery: Volvo vocational trucks at work
At a recent event at Volvo’s Construction Equipment Demonstration Center in Shippensburg, Pa., Volvo showcased its line of work trucks, as well as the company’s proprietary engines and transmissions. The event took place at Volvo’s Construction Equipment Demonstration Center, where potential customers can test out the trucks for themselves, and see a demonstration of the trucks’ capabilities. Check
Need a lift? Elevating axles for vocational trucks
If you’re looking at spec’ing a lift axle for vocational applications, you want to know the loads you will be hauling and the capacity of the suspension you’ll need. You’ll also want to take a close look at your frame rail. Click here for more lift axle insight. “More and more lift axle manufacturers are
The vocational truck rollouts roundup
When more than 10,000 truck fleet managers, manufacturers and equipment distributors descended on the Indiana Convention Center for The Work Truck Show 2015 they were able to witness the debut of a number of new vocational truck products. Among them were three vehicle announcements. Extending its lineup from Class 4 through Class 7, Hino Trucks
Cabover offerings for medium-duty vocational fleets
While cabover engine (COE) style trucks are rarely if ever seen in on-highway trucking operations, they are considered effective by many local and regional medium-duty operations. Highly maneuverable in tight spaces and offering exceptional visibility and maneuverability, COEs are the vehicle of choice for a range of vocations, including pick-up and delivery, lease and rental,
