Overdrive Magazine | Trucking Business News & Owner Operator Info
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/376180
66 | Overdrive | September 2014 Severe Service I n 2010, Daimler Trucks North America set its sights on becoming the vocational market leader within five years. Since that time, the company has increased its market share to nearly 31 percent year-to-date in 2014 with a target of 32 percent by yearend. David Hames, DTNA general man- ager of marketing and strategy, said the truck maker has increased market share by 20 percent in the Class 6 and 7 vocational segment since 2009 and now leads all OEMs in Class 6-8 specialized hauling, utility, food and beverage, government, construction and refuse businesses. Year-to-date, DTNA said it has sold 21,236 M2 and SD trucks in the United States and Canada. "We can't look at medium-duty and vocational markets as a secondary business," said Hames, addressing industry press at a vocational truck event in Yountville, Calif. "It's now core." Richard Howard, DTNA's new senior vice president of sales and marketing, said total cost of ownership (TCO) remains the core of the truck maker's value proposition and that the challenge will be how to further develop TCO across its on-highway and vocational markets. "We have to be number one in terms of customer satisfaction for our customers," said Howard. "That means a more intense focus and im- provement in customer service." To achieve those goals, DTNA said it will work more closely with its dealer network to improve service to maxi- mize uptime, with a goal of quicker diagnosis using Virtual Technician and a three-day maximum limit of downtime for the most serious and labor-intensive repairs. "We have redesigned the way we handle customers through our Express Assessment support to provide a two- hour diagnosis turnaround and give customers the service they deserve," said Howard. DTNA's recently announced Uptime Pro program automatically tracks and communicates progress for a service event, allowing customers to receive added transparency. Uptime Pro currently is being piloted at select service centers within the company's 441-location dealer network. 12-liter NG eNGiNe comiNG for 114SD Also at the press event, DTNA an- nounced the availability of the Cum- mins Westport ISX12 G natural gas engine as a factory-installed option for the Freightliner 114SD severe-duty truck beginning in 2015. Until now, the truck has been available only with the Cummins Westport ISL G 9-liter natural gas engine. "We are committed to make sure we continue to embed natural gas vehicles into the vocational product lineup, and it makes sense to do that," said Richard Saward, Freightliner's general manager of vocational sales. DTNA also announced other new options across its medium-duty and severe-duty truck models, including: • Hood-mounted bell-shaped mir- rors, heated and nonheated, with a tripod-style mirror base on the 108SD and 114SD; • A rock guard for the 108SD and 114SD to protect the exposed region of the radiator between the grille and bumper in harsh environments; • Remote start/stop for the M2 106, M2 112, 108SD and 114SD with manual transmissions to benefit fuel economy and performance; • Watson & Chalin lift axle suspen- sions for all Freightliner SD truck models to facilitate quicker ride height changes and improve maneuverability and durability; and • A Hendrickson AeroClad 12-inch logger-style bumper for the 122SD, with cutouts for a center tow, driving lights and fog lights. Freightliner, FreightlinerTrucks.com Daimler touts vocational leaDership Truck maker offers ISX12 G engine for 114SD By Jeff Crissey Daimler said it now leads in sales of Class 6-8 trucks used for hauling, utility, food and beverage, govern- ment, construction and refuse businesses.