Fleet Management News & Business Info | Commercial Carrier Journal
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/357935
36 COMMERCIAL CARRIER JOURNAL | AUGUST 2014 I f you've never been to the observa- tion deck of the St. Louis Arch or the Space Needle in Seattle, the views from both are incredible; not so much for the scenery, but for the fact that you practically can see forever. Kenworth's K370 – the company's revamped cabover – could be added to that list. While it may lack the architectural significance of the afore- mentioned landmarks, the truck's giant windshield provides more than ample perspective of what lies ahead. Previous generations of Kenworth's cabovers have been little more than a gussied-up DAF, outfitted to make them street-legal in the United States. While the K370 still shares some strong exterior cosmetic features with DAF – namely its Euro 6 cab – it's a NAFTA-capable truck. I recently took a K370 out for a test drive around Kenworth's assem- bly plant in Chillicothe, Ohio, on a mixture of highway and surface streets, and aside from the visibility, there were plenty of other standout features. The front air disc brakes on the 218-inch wheelbase truck had serious stopping power that I found aggres- sive and responsive, a traffic-friendly feature when used in a package deliv- ery application. My test unit featured another stop-and-go-friendly feature – an Allison 2100RDS five-speed transmission with PTO Drive Gear. It had a smooth, almost effortless automated shift. Continued on page 39 The front air disc brakes had serious stopping power suited for stop- and-go delivery. CABOVER EASY Kenworth's updated K370 provides ample views, wiggle room BY JASON CANNON C C J T E S T D R I V E : K E N W O R T H K 3 7 0 While Kenworth's K370 still shares some strong exterior cosmetic features with DAF – namely its Euro 6 cab – it's a NAFTA-capable truck. The K370 can be spec'd for a variety of me- dium-duty applications, including package delivery, metropolitan short haul, beverage delivery and medical supply transport.