Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/29112
FOR THE RECORD TRUCKING NEWS Cat Is Back Caterpillar Unveils CT660 Vocational Truck JACK ROBERTS hen Caterpillar announced in 2008 that it would be en- tering the on-highway truck mar- ket, there was great interest and speculation as to just how much of a Caterpillar truck the final product actually would be. After all, Cat was partnering with Navistar to produce the new truck. The two companies share a long history of collabora- tion on engine projects and high- pressure fuel system development. Would all of this shared engineering DNA simply result in a Cat-branded Navistar truck? W The answer is no. The new Cat- erpillar CT660 vocational truck is FYI Sapp Brothers Celebrates 40th Anniversary The Sapp Brothers chain of travel centers is celebrating its 40th anniversary at its 16 locations along Interstate 80 with service specials and prizes including fuel and drink discounts. This includes a $189.99 preventive mainte- nance special, including up to 11 gallons of oil, three filters and full lubrication for truck and trailer. Also included is a free oil analysis, with results provided within an hour. New Loves Opens in Colorado A new stop with 43 spaces for trucks has opened in Pueblo, Colo., off of Inter- state 25 at Exit 104 in Pinion Commercial Center, Love’s Travel Stops & Country Stores announced. A Sub- way and Chester’s Chicken restaurants, two diesel 14 TRUCKERS NEWS MAY 2011 exhaust fluid dispensers, CAT scales and other ameni- ties are at the stop, the Okla- homa City, Okla.-based travel center firm said. Traffic Deaths Drop Again The number and rate of traffic fatalities in 2010 fell to the lowest levels since 1949, despite a significant increase in the number of miles driven, the U.S. Depart- ment of Transportation reported April 1. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administra- tion’s early projections, the number of traffic fatalities fell 3 percent from 33,808 in 2009 to 32,788 last year. Since 2005, fatalities have dropped 25 percent. Marty Stuart to Headline Walcott show Country singer Marty not simply an International Work- star with a shade of yellow lipstick. Caterpillar engineers have no hesi- tation in saying that their new truck is “essentially new from the frame rails up.” This is a bit of an exag- geration, of course. The Caterpil- lar CT11, CT13 and forthcoming CT15 engines are Navistar Maxx- Force diesel engines. But it is entire- ly true that Cat engineers put their own distinctive stamp on this truck with styling cues taken directly from the company’s wheel loader line and placed their usual emphasis on cab ergonomics. The launch — which took place The Cat CT660’s brushed aluminum grill helps give the truck a distinct Caterpillar appearance. March 20, in Las Vegas, Nev., on the eve of the ConExpo equipment show — was nothing less than an historic day for Caterpillar, accord- ing to George Taylor, director of the new Caterpillar vocational truck group. “This project really began about 15 years ago when we first started talking about entering the on-highway truck business,” he says. “But, of course, Caterpillar has 40 years in the truck business with our line of on-highway diesel engines. So this was a market we knew well.” The Cat CT660 has a distinct Caterpillar appearance, thanks to a continued on page 73 NEWS BRIEFS Stuart and the Fabulous Superlatives will headline a 7 p.m. Mobil Delvac- sponsored concert at the Walcott Truckers Jamboree July 14-15 at the Iowa 80 Truckstop in Walcott, Iowa. Activities at the 32nd annual jamboree include more than 200 exhibits, the Super Truck Beauty Contest, antique truck display, Iowa pork chop cookout, trucker Olym- pics and a fireworks display. continued on page 80 COURTESY CATERPILLAR