Kenworth Privileges May 21-26
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Volvo Trucks’ Remote Diagnostics Maximizes Vehicle Uptime by Keeping Customers Connected
“Remote Diagnostics maximizes vehicle uptime by reaching far beyond proactive diagnostics to deliver total connectivity among the vehicle, Volvo and the decision-makers responsible for maintenance,” said Stephen Roy, Volvo Trucks senior vice president, aftermarket and soft products. “As part of our integrated business solution, Volvo Trucks Support Services, and bundled under Connected Vehicle services, Remote Diagnostics leverages Volvo’s support network and service management tools to rapidly address service issues before they occur.”
Volvo was the first North American truck manufacturer to deliver a telematics solution, offering fleet management tools in 2002. Today, Volvo’s Remote Diagnostics provides proactive diagnostic and repair planning assistance with detailed analysis of critical diagnostic trouble codes. The remote communication platform facilitates live dealer and customer communication through Volvo Action Service, Volvo’s 24/7 support team. Proactive diagnostics streamline service procedures with confirmation of parts on-hand before a truck arrives at a service location, increasing uptime.
Remote Diagnostics also provides service case communication and documentation among Volvo Action Service, dealers and customers through ASIST, Volvo’s innovative web-based service management tool, which comes free of charge for two years with the purchase of all new Volvo trucks.
For nearly a year, Volvo field-tested Remote Diagnostics with motor carriers in the U.S. and Canada, drawing on the feedback from 15 unique customers operating more than 1,300 Volvo VNs with the service.
“With Volvo’s Remote Diagnostics, I know the vehicle’s issue before it arrives at our terminal, so I can ensure the parts and mechanics are prepared to get the vehicle back on the road, delivering freight on time to our customers,” said Joseph Egan, Sr., director of maintenance at Abilene Motor Express, based in Richmond, Va., which has long-haul, LTL and regional freight operations.
“The Remote Diagnostics service has really helped with vehicle uptime,” said Bryan Burningham, director of maintenance at Challenger Motor Freight. “It’s much easier to manage events with the service communication tool because it provides a very good data trail so we know what we’re working on, what we’ve done and when we expect it will be done.” Cambridge, Ontario-based Challenger is a predominantly long-haul fleet operating in Canada and the United States.
“Industry-leading fuel efficiency, safety and comfort are often the most influential factors driving the initial purchase of Volvo trucks, but it’s the entire ownership experience that shapes how customers view our products,” said Ron Huibers, president, Volvo Trucks North American Sales & Marketing. “Remote Diagnostics raises the bar to a whole new level in terms of what we can deliver to help keep our customers on the road moving freight.”
Remote Diagnostics is the first service being offered under the new Connected Vehicle Services category of the Volvo Trucks Support Services bundled aftermarket offering. Previously launched categories include:
Service Management
Beginning Jan. 1, 2012, Volvo Trucks offers ASIST at no charge with all new truck purchases. ASIST lets customers receive electronic estimates, approve repairs and issue a purchase order, regardless of the vehicle’s location. The online tool allows the customer to monitor vehicle status online, communicate directly with the dealer and maintain an
electronic “file cabinet” of service activities. Consolidating all maintenance events and communication in one powerful web-based tool also eliminates invoice and repair surprises.
Parts Purchasing
Volvo customers can order parts online through their local dealer. The online portal provides 24/7 access to parts availability and pricing from the local Volvo dealer. Customers can also receive nationwide credit access at all Volvo Trucks dealer locations in the U.S. and Canada through a charge card program.
Fleet Services
Volvo Trucks Support Services offers 24/7 roadside assistance through Volvo Action Services and full contract maintenance services and a variety of leasing and rental program options.
Volvo Trucks Details Comprehensive “Blue Power” Natural Gas Strategy for North America
Volvo Trucks announced plans to launch its own 13-liter liquefied natural gas (LNG) engine for North America in 2014. The engine’s advanced high pressure diesel ignition technology will provide significant fuel efficiency gains compared with current natural gas products. Combined with the company’s previously announced offering of compressed natural gas (CNG)-powered Volvo VNM and VNL model daycabs, the new engine will provide customers with a complete range of natural gas-powered transportation solutions. Volvo is also testing another fuel that can be produced from natural gas, DME (dimethyl ether), which has the potential to become an attractive alternative for the North American market.
“Despite the near-term infrastructure questions regarding widespread adoption of natural gas as a heavy-duty truck fuel, it’s clear this segment will grow over the next several years,” said Ron Huibers, president of Volvo Trucks North American Sales & Marketing. “We’re already delivering factory-built CNG-powered trucks, and as the long-haul fueling infrastructure develops, the advanced technology in our new LNG engine will provide increased range and improved fuel efficiency in a seamlessly integrated Volvo powertrain.”
Blue Power: LNG for the Demanding Long Haul
Through advanced high pressure diesel ignition technology – using trace amounts of diesel to ignite the natural gas – Volvo’s LNG engine will deliver a 30 percent fuel efficiency improvement compared with spark-ignition (SI) engines, making it a viable alternative for demanding long-haul applications. The Volvo 13-liter LNG engine will also reduce greenhouse gas emissions by about 20 percent compared with current diesel products.
The engine will accomplish these savings without sacrificing power, torque or fuel efficiency, all of which are critical attributes for on-highway operations. The Volvo Group was the number one supplier of 13-liter heavyduty engines to the combined U.S. and Canadian market last year, and the same vertically integrated approach that has made Volvo a global powertrain leader is being applied to the development of the new engine. The company’s proprietary Volvo I-Shift automated mechanical transmission also will be available for customers to specify.
Blue Power: CNG for Closed-Loop and Delivery Applications
North America’s abundant supply of natural gas, and the reduced emissions and minimal aftertreatment CNG engines offer, make the technology an ideal solution for customers operating in localized or closed-loop applications. To meet current demand, Volvo offers the CNG-powered VNM daycab equipped with a factory installed Cummins ISL G engine.
The company also recently announced that it is operating natural gas-powered VNL demonstrator trucks. The larger, more robust VNL model features a 12-liter Cummins- Westport ISX12 G gas engine. Factory production of the natural gas-powered VNL daycab will begin in conjunction with commercial availability of the 12-liter gas engine in early 2013. These heavy-duty engines feature maintenance-free aftertreatment, requiring only a threeway catalyst to meet EPA 2010 emissions standards.
Blue Power: DME Shows Promise in Customer Tests
The Volvo Group has conducted hundreds of thousands of miles of customer field testing of trucks equipped with DME, which can be produced from natural gas. The strong results – from ten vehicles operating in a variety of applications in Europe – indicate DME holds much promise as a heavy-truck fuel, and could become a viable alternative in North America to CNG or LNG when it comes to performance, environmental impact, safety and
distribution.
DME mirrors the exceptional performance qualities and energy efficiency of diesel while significantly reducing GHG emissions. It is an excellent compression ignition fuel which, like diesel, requires no separate ignition mechanism. Unlike LNG, it does not require cryogenic temperatures; it is handled like propane, with tank pressures of 75 psi (vs. 3,000 psi for CNG), and it is non-toxic. DME burns with a blue flame and requires no
diesel particulate filter. DME packages densely enough to allow long range transports or to allow room for vocational truck equipment on the frame.
“Since we adopted Environmental Care as a core value in 1970s, Volvo has dedicated the resources necessary to lead in alternative fuel technologies,” Huibers said. “We demonstrated in 2007 our ability to run vehicles on seven different fuels, and we continue to refine our work with a variety alternative fuels and drivelines. Our comprehensive ‘Blue Power’ strategy – including CNG, LNG, and potentially DME – means we’ll have a complete range of natural gas solutions as the infrastructure develops.”
Kenworth T470 Snowplows Prove To Be a Big Hit with Municipalities and Townships
KIRKLAND, Wash., March 12, 2012 – Seventeen, 50 and 55. For three road commission managers, those numbers are on their minds daily. They represent the miles of road they are responsible for; miles that they need to keep free of snow and potholes to keep daily commuters running smoothly.
One thing they all have in common is a limited number of vehicles and personnel, which means dependable equipment is vital to their operations. All recently purchased Kenworth T470s to improve their operations.
“We’re finding exceptional success with the Kenworth T470,” said Reid Nabarrete, Kenworth assistant general manager for marketing and sales. “It was designed to be the right fit for snowplow applications – competitively priced, and extremely durable. It’s a truck that’s new to a lot of municipalities and townships and they’re finding a lot of immediate benefits.”
Shown is the Kenworth T470 snowplow operated by Sandwich Township.
The Kenworth T470 has a gross vehicle weight (GVW) ranging from a heavy Class 7 vehicle at 33,000 lbs. up to a Class 8 truck of 68,000 lbs. The vehicle offers full parent rail extensions, delivering maximum resistance to bending moment (RBM) from one end of the rail to the other. Front axles are rated from 12,000 to 22,000 lbs., single rear axles from 21,000 to 30,000 lbs., and tandem rear axles from 40,000 to 46,000 lbs. A full range of manual and automatic transmissions are offered. The T470 is powered by a choice of PACCAR PX-8 and Cummins ISL9 engines rated between 260 and 380 hp and 660 to 1,300 lb-ft of torque.
“It’s a tough truck and has a stout front end to handle our 12-foot blade,” said Jerry Davis, road commissioner for the Sandwich Township, located 60 miles southwest of Chicago. “I’m responsible for 17 miles of road. Now, that might not seem like a lot, but we have 10,000 cars commute on the road daily, many on their way into Chicago. Last year, we had almost 50-inches of snow – on average it’s around 38 inches. When the snow hits, you have to be able to move and move quick. Often, small townships like ours need to keep their equipment up to 20 years. We replaced our oldest unit with the T470 and it works beautifully.”
As the only payroll employee, Davis drives the T470, while drivers “on-call” pilot the town’s other snowplow and grader. “The T470 is tight, quiet and very comfortable. Plus the turning radius is sharper than the other rigs. It’s a great addition to our township.”
Jim Schertz, highway commissioner for the Metamora Township with just over 4,000 residents and located in central Illinois, said the quality of a township’s snowplow can’t be underestimated.
“We bought our first Kenworth after looking at everything else out there,” Schertz said. “Kenworth really did its homework with the T470. It’s a truck of very high quality; a truck that is going to last. We’ve got 55 miles of road to plow and we keep our trucks for 15 years. For us, the T470 was the right truck at the right price.”
Jim Schertz, highway commissioner for the Metamora Township, said the quality of the township’s Kenworth T470 snowplow can’t be underestimated.
According to Schertz, the T470, which was spec’d with the Kenworth Extended Day Cab for even more driver comfort, is outfitted with an 11-foot front blade, and a 10-foot snow wing on the side of the truck. “The full parent frame rail extension really gives the truck a solid foundation,” he said. “The truck has been getting a lot of attention from other small towns and counties to see how it works for us. Everyone wants the best snowplow for their money; one that will last. We’re liking what we’re seeing.”
Tom Riegel (left), town chairman for the Town of Grant, and driver Roger Jerome are shown with the town’s Kenworth T470 snowplow.
Tom Riegel, town chairman for the Town of Grant, population 989 in northwestern Wisconsin, said towns like his need to get the biggest bang for their buck to maximize ever tightening budgets.
“I did a lot of research and made a lot of phone calls before deciding on the Kenworth T470. We’re small and wanted to make an educated decision on what was the best plow out there for our 50 miles of roads surrounding our community,” said Riegel. “We felt it was the T470. And from past experience while I was at the county highway department, I knew first-hand how well Kenworths held up. That department is still using a Kenworth built in 1969. It’s like a battleship. Always ready to go and bulletproof. It’s what we’re expecting out of our T470.” 
Kenworth Truck Company is the manufacturer of The World’s Best® heavy and medium duty trucks. Kenworth is an industry leader in providing fuel-saving technology solutions that help increase fuel efficiency and reduce emissions. The company’s dedication to the green fleet includes aerodynamic trucks, compressed and liquefied natural gas trucks, and medium duty diesel-electric hybrids. Kenworth is the only truck manufacturer to receive the Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean Air Excellence award in recognition of its environmentally friendly products. In addition, the fuel-efficient Kenworth T700 equipped with the low-emission PACCAR MX engine was named the 2011 Heavy Duty Commercial Truck of the Year by the American Truck Dealers. Kenworth is also the recipient of the 2011 J.D. Power and Associates award for Highest in Customer Satisfaction for Heavy Duty Truck Dealer Service. Kenworth’s Internet home page is at www.kenworth.com. Kenworth. A PACCAR Company.
Kenworth T660s with PACCAR MX Engines Help Carrier Achieve Superior Fuel Economy, Retain Drivers
LIBERTY, Mo., March 5, 2012 – When talking about fuel economy, Aaron Thompson can’t help but crack a million-dollar smile.
It’s a matter of doing the math and counting the zeroes. But when you add it all up, Liberty, Mo.-based American Central Transport (ACT) is now saving more than $1 million a year in fuel costs. The savings come from a comprehensive plan, which has elevated the average fuel economy of its fleet from a very respectable 6.4 to an eye-popping 7.7 mpg. What’s more, even better numbers may lie ahead, as ACT’s top performing driver recently recorded an 8.3 mpg average.
It didn’t happen overnight for ACT, rather in a five-year period, but it is proof positive that fuel economy gains can be substantial with the right trucks, spec’d the right way, with incentives to maximize driver performance.
With a 99-percent on-time delivery rate, ACT is a premium service dry van carrier serving major shippers throughout the eastern half of the United States. It operates 100 company trucks, and has 200 independent contractors pulling trailers.
The main catalyst for fuel economy change has been the fleet’s Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) SmartWay(SM) Designated Kenworth T660s with PACCAR MX engines.
Aaron Thompson,vice president of operations for American Central Transport
“We’ve been running Kenworth T660s since they were introduced to the market,” said Thompson, who serves as vice president of operations for ACT. “Currently we have 185 T660s, with the balance of our fleet being other Kenworth models. We also have another 50 T660s on order this year.”
All told, ACT ran 32 million miles in 2011, with 11 million of those coming from the company’s trucks. “When you figure that diesel averages around $3.80 a gallon, you can see why we’re getting the big numbers in fuel savings,” Thompson said.
The T660s are spec’d with PACCAR MX 12.9-liter 455 hp engines. A test fleet for the PACCAR MX engine over the past few years, the company was among the first to put in a large order as soon as production engines became available.
“We like the PACCAR MX engine and spec for maximum fuel economy with progressive shift and geardown protection on the engine,” said Thompson. “With 13-speeds, lightweight aluminum wheels, smaller tanks, wide-based tires and dead axle tandems (6 x 2), we’re pushing 8 mpg on a regular basis in the Kenworth T660s.”
To help get the most of the Kenworth T660s, ACT now governs the tractors at 65 mph, where in 2006 they were limited to 70 mph, said Thompson. “And our idle time, thanks to APUs, has been greatly reduced – coming in at less than 3 percent on our company fleet.”
ACT’s policy of hiring only the best drivers means maintaining a newer fleet of quality, comfortable, high-performance trucks that attract top drivers. “Drivers really appreciate the solid cab on the T660,” said Thompson. “We don’t have creaks and shakes and rattles. We spec the Diamond interior because drivers like the button-tuck look, the new dash and the quiet ride. Drivers really, really like the cabs.”
With a turnover rate of less that 60 percent – excellent when you take into account the drivers are on the road two- to three weeks at a time – ACT has instituted a progressive Performance Based Pay system. Simply perform and you get rewarded. Metrics include equipment utilization (the more miles driven, the better the pay); fuel economy (scored against their peers on a 6-month average); service (on time pick-up and delivery performance); safety (accidents/incidents and roadside violations); fuel optimizer (stopping at the fuel stops and keeping to the route the company has set up; this ensures paying the lowest prices for fuel).
The company uses performance monitoring software to track and trend its fleet’s fuel performance. The software allows them to closely monitor such things as: time in top gear; time in cruise control; over RPM and over speed; idle time and mpg.
“This data is all used to coach and counsel drivers as to how best to improve their fuel economy performance,” said Thompson. “The company tracks performance of all drivers and posts results by truck number each week. Drivers can then compare how they’re doing versus their peers.”
ACT also has the “7-Up Club.” This is quarterly recognition (with hat pins and other items) for drivers who achieve an average of 7 mpg or better.
Normally on a three-year trade-in cycle, ACT extended the cycle to four years when the recession hit. “We weren’t running the miles and it didn’t make sense to trade off a truck that only had 300,000 miles,” says Thompson. “We ran those trucks a year longer than we normally do and it didn’t cost us. The trucks’ value outpaced the market for that year. The testament to that is our four-year-old Kenworths are gold in the marketplace.”
“Essentially, we ran those trucks for free for a year. We didn’t take any hit to the cost of ownership because the maintenance costs maintained where they were at three years. In terms of overall quality and reliability, the trucks hold up fantastically. The guys who bought those Kenworth trucks paid top dollar because it is a low-cost-of-ownership truck. Kenworth trucks are built very well, and they hold their value.”
Kenworth Truck Company is the manufacturer of The World’s Best® heavy and medium duty trucks. Kenworth is an industry leader in providing fuel-saving technology solutions that help increase fuel efficiency and reduce emissions. The company’s dedication to the green fleet includes aerodynamic trucks, compressed and liquefied natural gas trucks, and medium duty diesel-electric hybrids. Kenworth is the only truck manufacturer to receive the Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean Air Excellence award in recognition of its environmentally friendly products. In addition, the fuel-efficient Kenworth T700 equipped with the low-emission PACCAR MX engine was named the 2011 Heavy Duty Commercial Truck of the Year by the American Truck Dealers. Kenworth is also the recipient of the 2011 J.D. Power and Associates award for Highest in Customer Satisfaction for Heavy Duty Truck Dealer Service. Kenworth’s Internet home page is at www.kenworth.com. Kenworth. A PACCAR Company.
