Overdrive Magazine | Trucking Business News & Owner Operator Info
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/376180
Severe Service 70 | Overdrive | September 2014 Kenworth reported year- over-year sales increases for its vocational trucks, reflect- ing growing construction activity, increased oil and gas production and encouraging new housing starts figures, said Kurt Swihart, Kenworth marketing director. Demand for Kenworth trucks also is being driven by construction companies, contractors, concrete pro- ducers and building suppli- ers operating old 2004- and 2007-emissions-spec engines that need to be replaced with new trucks. "As a result, we've seen strong in- terest in our new Kenworth T880 vocational flagship truck," Swihart said. "The T880 is expected to soon represent about 50 percent of Kenworth's vocational truck production." The T880 now offers increased driver comfort- enhancing features and is available with integrated powertrain packages. Kenworth, Kenworth.com T880 rides mulTi-secTor demand New data from LoJack's annual study of U.S. construction equipment theft and recovery showed a high incidence of work truck theft compared to other types of equipment left on jobsites. Other findings: • California remains the highest-ranking state in terms of equipment theft incidence due to many active construction projects and an interna- tional border with access to major shipping ports. • Newer models, bringing a greater resale value, were stolen more often than older equipment; 46 percent of all of the equipment stolen in 2013 was less than five years old. • In 95 percent of the cases, the stolen equip- ment was recovered in the state in which the theft was reported. • Construction theft is prevalent in suburban areas, particularly in areas where construction growth is widespread. Find LoJack's full report via AutoTheftBlog. com; search "Commercial recoveries." Navistar continues to invest in its severe service and medium-duty product lines by expanding vehicle enhance- ments and powertrain choices on International vocational truck models, the company said. The company also is beginning to add selective catalytic reduction emissions technology to its high-horsepower midrange engines. The company's medium-duty SCR transition began in September 2013 with the International DuraStar and the Cummins ISB 6.7-liter engine. MaxxForce 9 and Maxx- Force 10 engines with SCR will be available exclusively on the International DuraStar and WorkStar trucks, which the company began delivering to customers in July. All International vocational trucks feature the Interna- tional Diamond Logic electrical system, a customizable truck computer module available in feature bundles. The system integrates communication between the truck and exterior equipment such as plows, dumps and spreaders. Navistar, Navistar.com Gorham, Maine-based Shaw Brothers Construction continues to grow, and that's going to help keep its new 400-ton-per-hour Astec asphalt plant, and 200 employ- ees, busy. Shaw Brothers is operating 12 new Kenworth T880 dump trucks and tractors. The TerraStar 4x4 medium-duty truck now is available with enhancements such as the Allison Opti- mized 1000 Series fully automatic transmission with an optional sixth speed, as well as a newly refined front suspension with a redesigned front spring and bumper. Shown are states with the highest incidence of theft last year in LoJack's construction equipment recovery data. Light trucks big target in jobsite thefts navistar expands its options for spec'ing vocationaL eQuipment