Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/183648
Cover Story By Wesley S. Chused Kenworth T680 Receiving Thumbs Up Reviews from Owner-Operators and Company Drivers B ack in 2002, when Rick Duke was 21, he began his career in truck driving behind the wheel of a 1993 Kenworth W900. Hauling sand and gravel with an enddump, Duke said it was hard to believe the company truck he was assigned to had 1.5 million miles on the odometer. "It was just a great truck," he said. "That's when I fell in love with Kenworth." Fast forward to today and you'll see Duke piloting a Kenworth T680 between Minneapolis and Los Angeles on a linehaul, along with his driving partner, Kris Markham. Now an owner-operator, who gave up aggregate for the open road, Duke said he's never been happier. He's leased on with Swift Transportation and took advantage of the company's lease-to-own program to get one of the first Kenworth T680s off the line. "When I first heard about that truck I read everything I could on it on the Internet. I watched YouTube videos on the T680 and then finally saw a yellow T680 on the road. I did all the research and that's the truck I wanted," Duke said. "I have a little competition going with Kris on who can get the best fuel economy, but we're pretty even," said Duke. "We're averaging around 8 mpg carrying nearly full loads and the truck isn't even broken in yet. The competition is really going to get going when Kris gets his own T680. We're planning to go into business together and start a small fleet, leasing on with Swift. We hope to have three to five trucks running over the next few years." Duke said all the anticipation about the Kenworth T680 has lived up to expectations. "I think even more so. I turned in a Kenworth T660 with 312,000 miles to get this, and I couldn't be happier with that decision. The T680 is unlike anything I've ever driven. It's so quiet, so comfortable. The doors close with just your fingertips and it's really like driving a luxury car. I could go on and on about the comfort and the layout." Performance wise, Duke said the truck is paying off handsomely in fuel economy. The T680 with a 76-inch sleeper is powered by a Cummins ISX engine rated at 400 hp and driven through a 9-speed transmission. "I have a little competition going with Kris on who can get the best fuel economy, but we're pretty even," said Duke. "We're averaging around 8 mpg carrying nearly full loads and the truck isn't even broken in yet. The competition is really going to get going when Kris gets his own T680. We're planning to go into business together and start a small fleet, leasing on with Swift. We hope to have three to five trucks running over the next few years." Driving and being a small fleet operator was also in the cards for Veniamin Babshinsky, who has a driver running one truck while he / Owner operator/ october 2013 / / 22 OO 1013 cover story.indd 1 9/6/13 1:54 PM