This spring offered the ideal climate for major vocational truck OEMs and suppliers to lay their cards on the table. It started with the SAE Automotive shows, continued with World of Concrete and CONEXPO-CON/AGG and wrapped up with the NTEA Work Truck Show.
Ultimately, some of the most significant introductions were not actually trucks but services and programs that can make your business run more efficiently. Reducing downtime and easing body upfits topped the list, while many expanded their product offerings for the vocational market.
Ford Rolls Out Commercial Vehicle Center Program
The new Ford Commercial Vehicle Center program includes more than 670 dealers nationwide committed to offering fleet and commercial customers the vehicles, financing options and service support their businesses need. This program replaces and expands upon the Ford Business Preferred Network that was originally introduced in 1986 as Main Street USA.
Commercial Vehicle Center dealers offer a wide selection of in-stock Ford commercial vehicles, and use a proprietary diagnostic software, Commercial Vehicle Tools, to recommend the most appropriate vehicle specifications for a customer’s specific business needs. They offer test drives at customer locations, as well as a range of unique fleet vehicle financing options and incentives.
To maximize customer vehicle uptime, participating dealer service departments are open at least 55 hours per week, and new stocking programs help improve parts availability. Ford’s Commercial Advantage Rewards loyalty program lets customers earn a range of factory benefits that can be redeemed at any participating location.
Ford has also made changes to its Advanced Fuel Qualified Vehicles Modifier (QVM) program. It is expanding the program to include companies that develop and install electrified and hydraulic hybrid powertrains for Ford trucks and vans.
The Ford eQVM program helps fleet and commercial customers meet their unique and specific needs for electrified and hydraulic hybrid work trucks that retain the original powertrain warranty.
Ford is investing $4.5 billion in 13 new electrified vehicles in the next five years. These include a new fully electric small SUV, a high-volume autonomous vehicle, a hybrid F-150, a hybrid Mustang, a Transit Custom plug-in hybrid and two new pursuit-rated hybrid police vehicles.
“The eQVM program extends support to the vocational truck industry where customers need relatively small numbers of specialized vehicles,” says Richard Cupka Jr., Ford sustainability and QVM program manager. “There is no one-size-fits-all work truck.”
The program kicks off with three developers: XL Hybrids, Motiv Power Systems and Lightning Hybrids. These companies offer electrification or hydraulic hybrid solutions for a range of Ford vehicles popular with fleet and commercial customers, including the F-150, F-250 to F-550 Super Duty, F-650 and F-750 medium-duty trucks, Transit and E-Series vans and chassis and F-53/F-59 stripped chassis.
Ram Uses Technology to Ease Upfits
Ram Commercial announced the Augmented Reality Upfit Configurator and Q Pro programs to simplify and improve how commercial upfitters, dealers and customers view, certify and install a wide array of truck-mounted equipment.
Ram Truck dealers now have access to augmented reality tool to help customers configure chassis cabs and vans.
The Q Pro is a new qualification process for upfitters to certify their product with Ram Engineering. Q Pro allocates Ram Engineering resources to survey, make recommendations and certify upfitter products. Once certified, the upfitter can use Ram’s Q Pro co-brand to help market their product, and customers can rest assured their new truck and upfit meet the highest standards, including quality, reliability and durability; regulatory compliance; standardized process controls; and warranty and continuous improvement.
Mack Uptime Technology for Legacy Vehicles
Mack Trucks is bringing uptime solutions to customers with its legacy vehicles. Working with its partner Geotab, a telematics technology provider, the company now offers connectivity for older Mack vehicles that are not equipped with GuardDog Connect telematics hardware.
After installing a small Geotab telematics device, the Mack Uptime Center will be able to monitor the same critical vehicle codes as the GuardDog Connect hardware. If an issue is detected, Mack OneCall agents will evaluate and provide the customer’s designated contact with decision-critical information through Mack ASIST, an online communications and service management portal. Repair scheduling, as well as parts and service bay availability, are also confirmed, all while the truck is still on the job.
The GuardDog Connect service contract for legacy vehicles, including the Geotab vehicle tracking device, will be available for order through Mack dealers beginning May 1, and is compatible with the company’s model year 2011 and newer models equipped with Mack engines. Installation is plug and play, followed by a brief activation and onboarding process.
Also introduced was the Mack Body Builder Portal, which brings all of the company’s body builder resources together in one convenient, easily accessible online location. This one-stop shop gives customers, body builders and dealers the tools they need to ensure a quick and efficient body upfit process.
Resources available through the portal include wiring schematics and links to industry associations such as the American Concrete Pumping Association, as well as contact information for Mack’s Body Builder Support Team and its concrete pumper support line.
Revised body builder manuals for all the company’s models have been updated with simpler navigation. A custom-designed PTO pump speed calculator is also available.
Volvo Expands I-Shift Features
Volvo Trucks North America introduces new safety and performance features for the I-Shift, I-Shift for Severe Duty and I-Shift with Crawler Gears automated manual transmissions. Auto neutral provides a key jobsite safety feature, while Paver Assist bolsters the VHD model dump truck’s performance in paving applications.
Auto Neutral can help improve jobsite safety in many applications, including concrete mixers, where remote throttle is often used. The feature helps reduce the possibility of the truck moving as a result of inadvertent throttle application by placing the I-Shift transmission into neutral when the parking brake is set. When the parking brake is released, simply shift to “drive” for the transmission to go back into gear.
Auto Neutral will be available for order during the second quarter of 2017 for vehicles equipped with Volvo GHG 2017 engines and the latest generation I-Shift. For trucks already in service, it can be activated with the Volvo Premium Tech Tool.
Paver Assist for the I-Shift on Volvo VHD model dump trucks helps eliminate bumps and disturbances in the pavement laying process that traditionally occur while shifting from “neutral” to “drive.”
The feature is currently available on VHD models equipped with Volvo GHG 2017 engines and the latest generation I-Shift transmission. Paver Assist can be activated using the Volvo Premium Tech Tool.
Kenworth Adds All-wheel Drive to T880
Kenworth’s T880 is now available in an all-wheel drive configuration. The front drive axle is installed at the Kenworth factory, which speeds delivery time and saves costs.
Kenworth adds all-wheel dive capability to the T880.
The Marmon Herrington MT-22 front drive axle is available in a 6x6 or 8x8 Class 8 configuration with a capacity rating up to 22,000 lbs. The all-wheel-drive configuration requires a Fabco transfer case and can be specified with the one-speed TC-142 or two-speed TC-143, depending on customer requirements.
Detroit Produces New Medium-duty Engine
Daimler Trucks North America (DTNA), along with its Detroit component brand, unveiled the new Detroit DD8 medium-duty engine. Aimed at the vocational truck market, the DD8 is a 7.7-liter, in-line, six-cylinder, medium-duty engine boasting a power range of 260 to 350 hp and a torque range of 660 to 1,050 lbs.-ft.
The DD8 will expand on the Detroit medium-duty platform that was launched last year with the DD5. In addition, the DD8 will launch with both engine and transmission power take-off options required for many vocational applications.
Aimed at the vocational truck markets the Detroit DD8 is a 7.7-liter in-line, six-cylinder, medium-duty engine that boasts a horsepower range of 260 to 350hp and a torque range of 660 to 1050 lb.– ft.
Vehicles equipped with the DD8 will feature Detroit Connect Virtual Technician remote diagnostic service. Virtual Technician helps fleets make informed maintenance decisions so they only service their vehicles when needed. In the case that a vehicle does need to go into the shop, Virtual Technician — backed by the experts at the Detroit Customer Support Center — provides access to in-depth information to get the vehicle repaired as accurately and quickly as possible, improving uptime.
GM Back in Medium-duty Business
General Motors confirmed that Chevrolet’s all-new Class 4/5 commercial truck will be powered by a Duramax engine and Allison transmission and is on track to launch in 2018. The truck is being jointly developed by Chevrolet and Navistar.
Technical specifications for the new medium-duty truck, including cab and frame dimensions, horsepower and torque, GAWR, GVWR, payload and other ratings, will be released closer to launch.
Chevrolet also announced that it is expanding its range of Low Cab Forward trucks with a new dock-height Class 6 model, the 6500XD. The vehicles are expected to be available by the end of the year.
2018 Chevrolet Low Cab Foward 6500XD
- Standard equipment includes a 5.2-liter, four-cylinder, turbo diesel that delivers 520 lbs.-ft. of torque, Allison 2500 Series six-speed automatic transmission (with PTO), Dana axles and straight-rail frame.
- Front and rear axle ratings are 12,000 and 19,000 lbs., respectively. Maximum GVWR is 25,950 lbs.
- Eight wheelbases are available and bodies up to 30 ft. long can be accommodated.
Nissan Expands Titan Line
Nissan completed the body style offerings for its full-size pickups with the new 2017 Titan and Titan XD King Cab models. The King Cab joins the current Crew Cab and Single Cab offerings, providing six-person seating, wide-opening rear doors and available “rear seat delete” option that presents a flat rear floor to expand secure in-cab storage space.
Nissan expands Titan pickup truck line with more cab configurations and targets the commercial market.
The Titan King Cab and Titan XD King Cab are offered in 4x4 and 4x2 drive and three grade levels (S, SV and PRO-4X). The Titan King Cab will come with a standard 390-hp 5.6L Endurance V8 engine and seven-speed automatic transmission. It offers an available maximum towing capacity of 9,420 lbs. and maximum payload capacity of 1,640 lbs. when properly equipped.
The Titan XD King Cab will offer the 390-hp 5.6L Endurance V8 with seven-speed automatic, or a Cummins 5.0L V8 Turbo Diesel rated at 310 hp and 555 lbs.-ft. of torque matched with a heavy-duty six-speed Aisin A466ND automatic transmission. Maximum towing capacity is 12,510 lbs. with the diesel engine option. Maximum payload is 2,710 lbs. with the gasoline engine.
Allison Moves to FuelSense 2.0
Allison Transmission’s FuelSense 2.0 with DynActive Shifting allows fleets to optimize fuel economy and performance to their specific needs. It is designed to provide maximum value for heavy start-stop applications.
Through a set of proprietary software enhancements, the technology uses DynActive Shifting to provide an infinitely variable combination of shift points. A learning algorithm enables it to continuously find the ideal balance of fuel economy and performance.
With nearly 3 million test miles in customer fleets representing a variety of duty cycles, fuel economy gains up to 6% have been seen beyond the original FuelSense software. This improvement resulted in estimated per-vehicle savings of $300 to $900 annually based on application, annual mileage and fuel price.
Available packages are FuelSense 2.0, FuelSense 2.0 Plus and FuelSense 2.0 Max. All three include DynActive Shifting. FuelSense 2.0 Plus and Max include improved Neutral at Stop. FuelSense 2.0 Max includes enhanced Acceleration Rate Management.
Meritor Tridem Heavy-Haul Axle for Severe Duty
Meritor, Inc. introduced its new P600 Series Tridem Heavy-Haul Planetary Axle for heavy-duty, long-haul, oil field, mining and logging applications. Full production begins in June.
Meritor's P600 Series Tridem Heavy-Haul Planetary Axle
The P600 Tridem’s wide ratio coverage and standard anti-lock brakes deliver optimum safety and performance in the most extreme conditions. When equipped with the optional driver-controlled differential lock and hardware for central tire inflation systems, the P600 has the premium features required for the most demanding applications.
