“We are in a very unique position with the 5700XE,” Platt explained. “People absolutely love the styling and with the efficiency of the Detroit powertrain, our testing has proven fuel economy will be among the best in the industry. We are getting quite a bit of interest from large truckload fleets as a reward truck for their seasoned drivers. Of course, owner operators and smaller, image conscious fleets have taken a liking to it as well.”
Platt expects the most common applications will be TL/LTL small to medium fleets hauling dry vans and reefers. However, with rounded sleeper design and option to delete the cab side extenders, long haul bulk carriers will see it as a viable option.
Pride and productivity
“Western Star’s greatest strength is its heritage of rugged, dependable, purpose-built trucks for the most extreme vocational applications,” Platt said. “The challenge is that, often times, people may not consider Western Star because they think it’s too much truck. With the market acceptance of our new 4700 truck and now the new Western Star 5700XE highway tractor, we are now in the consideration set of a larger audience.”
Western Star’s initial sales forecast for the 5700XE this year was 1,350 units. With more than 1,000 orders already placed and scheduled, Western Star recently raised that to 1,800. Platt aims to keep that enthusiasm for the brand and industry moving forward.
“I am really excited to be at the helm of Western Star,” Platt said. “The pride I have is echoed through all of the employees at both the Cleveland, N.C., and Portland, Ore., plants where the trucks are built.”