10/29/10

Ocado's New Isuzu Electric Truck Gets Marked, On The Quiet



One of Isuzu’s first 5-tonne electric trucks, currently in operation with online supermarket Ocado, featured at this year's historic ‘Cart Marking’ ceremony in the City of London. As part of a 40-strong parade and vehicle drive-past, the Isuzu ‘Forward’ 5-tonne electric truck received its official marking in the presence of the Rt Hon Lord Mayor of London, the Sherriff of London and other City officers.

Two Isuzu ‘Forward’ vehicles have been in service for Ocado over the past three months, delivering to London customers predominantly within noise-sensitive areas around the White City area.

“The Cart Marking ceremony is a prestigious annual event within the City of London calendar and it was fitting that one of our quiet, new electric trucks had a starring role” said Keith Child, Marketing Director at Isuzu Truck (UK) Limited.

Ocado’s Isuzu N-series 5-tonner is a fully electric vehicle with zero emissions. It is fully automatic because it does not use a conventional gearbox – this feature really helps to reduce driver fatigue in traffic-intensive areas. Power is supplied from permanent on-board batteries that simply require an overnight charge in preparation for the following day's work.

Ocado has been trialling the Isuzu ‘Forward’ range at 5.0 tonnes GVW – a departure from the norm, as they usually operate 3.5-tonne vehicles for their extensive home delivery applications.

Keith Child adds: “The extra weight of the batteries would leave very little payload on a standard 3.5-tonne vehicle. The new Isuzu ‘hexapod’ design cab doesn’t compromise the vehicle’s physical overall dimensions, a point that is very crucial to the Ocado operation. Furthermore our 5.0 tonne electric truck gives Ocado a vehicle with a better payload than the 3.5-tonne diesel versions that they currently use. So we’ve ticked all the right boxes, the 5.0 tonners are environmentally friendly and this fits well with Ocado’s unique, sustainable distribution model.”

This Isuzu 5-tonne electric truck was built in partnership with Paneltex (Hull), manufacturers of the all-electric drive-train and refrigerated body.

The Cart Marking ceremony at the Guildhall in London is a time-honoured tradition, maintained by The Worshipful Company of Carmen. Selective vehicles, representing the history of transport, are branded with a red-hot iron on a wooden plate; also carrying a unique vehicle number and the Carmen arms. The ceremony acts as a reminder of centuries of service by transport organisations to the City of London.

Further information about Isuzu Truck UK can be viewed on the company's website at http://www.isuzutruck.co.uk/


Isuzu – A global strength
Established almost a century ago Isuzu Motors Japan is a world leading truck manufacturer, producing over 400,000 light to medium weight commercial vehicles every year and selling to over 170 countries throughout the world. The company is also a world-leader in diesel engine technology and manufacturing, producing a massive 1.5 million diesel engines every year.

Isuzu Truck (UK) Limited was formed in 1996 and is the dedicated UK Isuzu commercial vehicle distributor and marketing/sales operation. ITUK now employs 48 people including specialist sales staff and has a dealer network in around 60 locations nationwide. All ITUK sold products are backed by ITUK’s industry-unique, award-winning, customer service programme CARE (Customer facing, Always listening, Reliable and trustworthy, Efficient and friendly).

Ocado – Award-winning online supermarket
Ocado (http://www.ocado.com) was established in 2000, started trading in 2002 and is now one of Britain’s leading online grocers. Unlike its competitors, Ocado operates a centralised distribution model which means that it does not rely upon a network of stores from which to service customers. This approach has numerous benefits including, not least, a significantly reduced environmental impact. Ocado boasts 21,000 product lines including Waitrose and John Lewis-branded goods, as well as non-food lines such as toys, magazines, kitchenware and fresh flowers. This summer, the grocer successfully floated on the London Stock Exchange, and scooped Online Retailer Of The Year at the Grocer Gold Awards and Consumer Technology Of The Year (for its Ocado On The Go iPhone app) at the Retail Week Technology Awards.

10/28/10

Canada Post Becomes First Customer For Azure Dynamics and Ford of Canada'a Transit Connect Electric Van

Oak Park, MI – October 27, 2010 – Azure Dynamics Corporation (TSX: AZD)(OTC: AZDDF) (“Azure” or the “Company”), the fast growing hybrid electric and electric power train innovator for the commercial truck market, and Ford Motor Company of Canada, Limited, announced today that they will deliver one of the first Transit Connect Electric commercial vans to Canada Post under the LEAD customer program. Canada Post will receive one of the exclusive Ford Transit Connect Electric delivery vehicles by the end of this year and has committed to the purchase of nine more by end of 2011.

“Canada Post is the first Canadian company to sign on to this exclusive and innovative vehicle program aimed at providing environmental solutions to the commercial delivery market,” said Scott Harrison, Azure Dynamics CEO. “The transformative technology of the Transit Connect Electric reduces gasoline fuel costs to zero, produces no tailpipe emissions and is virtually silent as it travels through urban and suburban delivery routes. The progressive attitude of companies like Canada Post will contribute to making an important environmental impact.”

The new van’s electric drive performance attributes are well suited to fleets like Canada Post that have duty cycles characterized by predictable routes with frequent stop and go driving and high idle time.

“As one of the largest communications and logistics companies in Canada, we’re proud to be among the first to implement a fully electric delivery vehicle on our roads,” says Doug Jones, Senior Vice President, Operations at Canada Post. “We expect that this new vehicle will bring us one step further along our path to reduce both our overall fuel emissions and our carbon footprint on the environment.”
The Transit Connect Electric integrates Azure’s Force Drive™ electric powertrain into Ford’s dedicated global commercial van platform that received the 2010 North American Truck of the Year award. Its unique combination of car-like driving dynamics, cargo capacity, maneuverability, accessibility and low operating costs are characteristics that make the Transit Connect an ideal choice for electrification.

"At Ford, we are dedicated to delivering quality, safe and fuel efficient vehicles to Canadian businesses – and the Ford Transit Connect delivers on all fronts," said David Mondragon, president and CEO, Ford of Canada. "The Ford Transit Connect Electric represents a win-win for both the environment and for Canada Post – it allows them to operate a more environmentally-friendly vehicle while helping to reduce their CO2 emissions as well as their need for gasoline."

The Ford Transit Connect Electric utilizes an advanced lithium-ion battery from Johnson Controls-Saft to achieve a range of up to 130 km (80 miles) on a single charge and is rechargeable using either a 240-volt or standard 120-volt outlet. Commercial vans generally return to a central location at the end of each driving cycle making for easy overnight recharging.

For more information on how Azure Dynamics products are Driving a World of Difference, please visit www.azuredynamics.com.

About Canada Post
With 71,000 employees and more than 6,500 post offices, The Canada Post Group – including affiliates Purolator Courier and SCI Group, as well as Innovapost (a joint venture with CGI), maintains the largest retail and transportation network in the country. Canada Post delivered close to 11 billion pieces in 2009 to 15 million points of call across Canada, posting $7.3 billion in revenue. Canada Post provides innovative physical and electronic delivery solutions, creating value for our customers, employees and Canadians. Canada Post has been chosen as one of Canada’s Top 100 employers by Mediacorp for the past four years and in 2009 was named “Most Iconic Brand in Canada” by Brand Finance Canada. Website: canadapost.ca.

About Azure Dynamics
Azure Dynamics Corporation (TSX: AZD)(OTC: AZDDF) is a world leader in the development and production of hybrid electric and electric components and powertrain systems for commercial vehicles. Azure is strategically targeting the commercial delivery vehicle and shuttle bus markets and is currently working internationally with a variety of partners and customers. The Company is committed to providing customers and partners with innovative, cost-efficient, and environmentally-friendly energy management solutions. For more information please visit www.azuredynamics.com.

About Ford Motor Company of Canada, Limited
Ford of Canada’s operations include a national headquarters, three regional offices, two branch offices, four vehicle assembly and engine manufacturing plants, and two parts distribution centres. Ford employs approximately 7,000 people in Canada, while an additional 18,000 people are employed in the more than 400 Ford and Ford-Lincoln dealerships across the country. For more information, please visit www.ford.ca

The TSX Exchange does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

10/27/10

ZAP Rolls Out Larger Electric Truck for Fleet Market


Roomy, durable, rugged yet whisper quiet. The new Zaptruck XL is the affordable green solution of your fleet operations. A utilitarian workhorse providing a roomy cab for two and a convertible bed/platform for moving up to 1600 lbs. of cargo during off-road use. The XL is ideal for corporate campuses, warehouses, universities, factories, municipal operations and around the ranch or farm. Classified as an NEV (Neighborhood Electiric Vehicle) the ZAPTRUCK XL is speed-limited by its controller to travel at speeds up to 25 mph in order to achieve maximum range. Start shopping for an all electric alternative today at http://www.zapworld.com/.

10/25/10

Commercial Vehicles Display At Maffra


Commercial vehicles on display at the Gippsland Vehicle Collection Motor Museum at Maffra, Australia. The museum provides an outstanding rotating display of interesting vehicles, including veteran, classic, transport and auto memorabilia.


GM Faces Carolyn Lehmer


Lehmer's Concord Buick-GMC in California has sold GM vehicles since 1936. It's been a family affair since they sold their first Oldsmobile and today a third generation looks to a brighter future.

10/24/10

Thank You Nor Cal Ford Truck Club!! Great Event!


Commercial Truck Success would like to thank the Nor Cal Ford Truck Club for putting on such a great event. It was the October 2010 Luau at the popular Woodbridge Golf and Country Club in Woodbridge, CA. This has become a sort of annual event and the third time the club has given away a $2,500. valued Hawaii Trip. This year Becky Brown was the lucky winner and it couldn't have happened to a more deserving person. Paul and Becky and Max will have a wonderful trip sometime in the very near future!

There were loads of vendors and all kinds of interesting products to show off. There was the brand new RackStar, which we posted about a couple of days ago. Nor Cal Mobility made a huge showing with five vehicles! Nice going Nor Cal! Liftmoore Cranes came up from LA and showed off a couple of their cranes mounted on a truck. Other vendors in attendance were West Coast Truck Equipment, Harbor Truck Bodies, Royal Truck Body, North Bay Truck Body, Transfer Flow, Supreme Corp, Interlift Liftgates, Marathon Truck Body, Scelzi Truck Body, Carter Industries, Monroe Truck Equipment, Legget & Platt, Wattco (representing Whelen), Clearline Manufacturing, Commercial Truck Success/Upward Trend, and of course, the star of the show: Ford Motor Company!

It was a great even that began at 9am with optional golf and ended with the giveaways at around 7pm. A great day away from the hustle and bustle of daily business--and a bunch of fun with friends we haven't seen in a while. Thanks to Woodbridge Golf and Country Club for the excellent service and food.

CTS wants to thank Paul Brown, president of the Nor Cal Ford Truck Club and all the other officers and members for the opportunity for CTS to attend and share in the fun and company. It is much appreciated!

Check out www.norcalfordtruckclub.com for more information on upcoming events.


10/23/10

Powering Up The Family Business


Power’s Country Express is an Australian success story forged from hard work and the desire to succeed in a highly competitive industry.

What began as a one van transport operation doing the night run between Bendigo and Swan Hill has today grown into a 25-vehicle company servicing regional Victoria.

You’d be hard pressed to find a business with greater family involvement than Power’s Country Express.

Founder and owner, Damien Power, has driven the company’s expansion with the help of family members including his wife Emma, mother June, father Tony, sister Camille and brother Jason, who all still work in the business. Damien’s other sisters, Michelle and Sarah, have also provided valuable contributions over the years.

Damien still works from the company’s Bendigo headquarters, and along with the other staff members, ensures that personal and professional service remains a feature of the expanding business.

"We initially started with a transit van in 1998 and around four months later we bought our first Isuzu – a 1989 model FSR 450," Damien said.

"We have 13 trucks now, eight of which are Isuzus. They range from a 1987 NPR 300 right up to a 2010 Giga 455."

It’s understandable why reliability is so important to Power’s Country Express when you consider the distances covered by the company’s trucks each year.

"Some of our older trucks will just run around locally, but others will be doing up to 200,000 kilometres a year on the night run to Melbourne," he said.

"We have very little down time with our trucks so the availability of parts, a helpful point of contact at the dealership and reliability are important factors when we’re looking to buy. I’ve found Isuzus to be extremely reliable and the staff at Poyser have been great."

All five of the Isuzus purchased new by Power’s have come from Poyser Trucks in Epsom, near Bendigo. Damien says their working relationship was part of the reason why he continued to return to the Isuzu Dealership.

Power’s Country Express currently runs two Gigas – a Giga 455 with a hydraulic tailgate and a pig trailer, and a Gigamax 510 B Double – two FVD 950s, two older NPR 300s used predominantly for local work, an NQR 450 and a medium duty FRR 525.

The company’s truck bodies are fabricated by All Truck, with Freighter manufacturing the trailers for the Isuzu Gigamax 510 B Double.

Damien said the user-friendliness of the Gigamax 510 B Double meant it could be used to teach staff how to handle larger trucks.

"It’s been a really good truck for our guys to learn how to handle B Doubles because of the automated manual transmission," he said.

"And you get all the information you need in the cabin without having the often complicated dashboards of the big American trucks."

The Gigamax 510 may be user-friendly but it’s no slouch in the power stakes with its 383kW (510 hp) of power at 1800rpm and 2255Nm or torque at 1300rpm - the highest of any Japanese prime mover.

To see more about Isuzu Trucks, Australia, go to http://www.isuzu.com.au/.

10/22/10

Introducing An Exciting New Product: The RackStar 750







I just got back from the Nor Cal Ford Truck Club Annual Luau Event in Northern California and there were about 18 vendors at the event. The shots above are from a brand new product that has just been announced and production is just beginning. I have to say that it got my attention immediately. I shot some video and I will work on that later, but wanted to post this right away because I think this is an exciting product!

They call this the RackStar 750 and it is stated as "the world's only heavy duty, ergonomically sound, safety-minded, truck rack system capable of lifting and loading up to 750 pounds." They state that "they have thought of absolutely everything. . . and have left nothing on the drawing table."

I got to see this rack system in action and it is surely a sweet setup and appears to be so well made and darn fine looking to boot. I love the cab guard with the logo in the center. It is made mostly of aircraft aluminum construction and built to stringent military specifications. The upper bars are removable allowing the carrying of tall items such as a refrigerator or other such object. It moves out away from the end of the bed and back with sure safe speed allowing maximum control of the lifted object.

We are going to work on the video and upload that in the next couple of days or so, but wanted to waste no time in getting the word started on this exciting new product. It is designed to be able to fit Chevy, Ford or Dodge pickups. The company is Clearline Manufacturing. The website is barely started and will expand shortly, but there is a bit there at http://www.therackstar.com/. 


10/21/10

Global Transport Giant TNT Goes Gas With Isuzu


TNT Express recently celebrated the delivery of two Isuzu FSR 850 Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) trucks, as it strives to become the first carbon neutral transport company in the world.

The Isuzu FSR 850 CNG trucks were purchased as part of the TNT 'Planet Me' environmental program, which seeks to reduce company CO2 output by 45 per cent from 2007 levels in the short term and reach carbon neutrality in the long term.

Specified for metropolitan pick-up and delivery applications, the newly acquired Isuzu CNG trucks will be based at TNT's Hume, ACT depot and are replacing two older conventional diesel powered trucks in the same weight class.

TNT Express Regional Director NSW/ACT, Dave Charlesworth, said the Isuzu CNG trucks are one of the cleanest on the market and will assist TNT greatly in its ambitious environmental plan.

"TNT through the 'Planet Me' program is heavily focused on achieving a better environmental outcome across all areas of its business – particularly the reduction of CO2 in its plant equipment," Mr Charlesworth said.

"Isuzu's CNG trucks comfortably meet Euro V standards and even reach proposed Euro VI benchmarks in the area of particulate matter emissions, so they are a great asset for our Canberra operations."

With the expectation of diesel price rises in the future, using Compress Natural Gas powered vehicles is also expected to reap financial savings for TNT, according to Mr Charlesworth.

"We along with many others hold the view that world oil prices will not remain the same heading into the future," Mr Charlesworth said.

"With gas prices being more stable compared to diesel over time, we are able to forecast fuel costs for our CNG fleet more accurately and divert resources elsewhere."

Picking up, transporting and delivering parcels in the Canberra area, the two TNT Isuzu CNG trucks also provide a string of up-to-date safety and driver comfort features for their operators, said TNT Express Operations Manager Canberra, Wayne Farnhill.

"One of the main things the operators notice in the CNG trucks is the lack of emissions coming from the exhaust," Mr Farnhill said.

"Not having diesel fumes or a smell at all in confined spaces is a great occupational health and safety advantage for us, as our drivers are in and out of loading docks and warehouses all day.

"The other advantage of the Isuzu FSR 850 CNG – as commented upon by our operators – is the ISRI air suspended seat, narrow cab and low deck height, which allows drivers to manoeuvre the truck easily in crowded metropolitan conditions," Mr Farnhill said.

Along with the recently delivered Isuzu CNG trucks, TNT's 55 depots across Australia have taken delivery of over 300 Isuzu trucks ranging from the entry level NPR 300 to the heavy duty FVY 1400 in the last three years.

At present, TNT Australia operates and maintains over 700 Isuzu trucks and replaces its Isuzu fleet on a rolling replacement program of eight to 12 years.

According to TNT Express National Fleet and Equipment Manager, Paul Wild, TNT's relationship with Isuzu Trucks spans over three decades.

"We have a long relationship with Isuzu Trucks dating back to the 1970s when Isuzus were marketed as Bedford by Isuzu," Mr Wild said.

"TNT has such a strong relationship with Isuzu Trucks because the company throughout the years has been able to meet our commercial and technical needs, whilst delivering reliability in transport equipment.

"We place very demanding requirements on our transport equipment, as our services can range from the delivery of a postcard to a jumbo jet engine.

"TNT uses the best infrastructure and transport equipment to attract, serve and retain customers and Isuzu Trucks over the years has been a crucial factor in achieving this for us," Mr Wild said.

With the company's ambitious environmental plan underway, TNT looks forward to the acquisition of Euro V Isuzu trucks in 2011.

To see more about Isuzu Trucks, Australia, visit http://www.isuzu.com.au/.

10/20/10

Putting Bodies On 1/2-Ton Trucks Can Lead To Serious Problems

I've heard some dealers who think that putting a service body on a 1/2-ton truck to keep the cost down is quite acceptable, and even preferred. There are even body companies who are foolish enough to help them out by doing it. Here is the main issues I have with this scenario:

Just for example, let's take a Chevrolet 1500 long bed.

GVWR: This is the most the truck can weigh legally with everything including passengers, cargo, fuel, etc. The GVWR for this truck is 6400 lbs.

TARE: The empty or shipping weight of this vehicle as a pickup truck is 4592 lbs for the base model and 4893 lbs for the LT model. We will be super conservative here and use the base model.

The math: 6400 lbs GVWR minus 4592 lbs empty weight equals 1808 potential cargo capacity.

Now, as a half-ton truck 1808 lbs cargo capacity less passengers, fuel fuel load, etc is just fine and actually quite a lot, but when we add a steel service body which weighs on average about 1,000 lbs, then add a 300 lbs ladder rack, there isn't much left. But, let's be fair. I'm going to remove the pickup box and credit the cargo capacity by about 300 lbs, so now as an empty chassis, we have 2108 lbs available.

Now take the body with rack of 1300 lbs and deduct it from the available capacity of 2108 lbs and this now leaves us with a maximum payload including passengers, full fuel load and cargo of only 808 lbs. Let's put two people in the cab at an average of 150 lbs each and about 120 lbs for fuel fuel tank. This now leaves us with only 388 lbs of available cargo capacity. This is a ridiculously small amount of capacity. On the 3/4-ton it would be a minimum of 1500 lbs and often more.

But. . . that's not the real problem. Some people might say, "we can't control what people put into a service body, so 388 lbs is a lot." I say, that you CAN control what people put on their truck that they buy from you.

Here's the real problem. How many closets do you have in your house that are empty? I ask this question in every training session and I never get even a single one. What do we do with closets? We fill them up with stuff. Do we ever empty them? Only when we move. If we had more closets, would we have empty ones? Not a chance. It seems to be human nature to fill up those empty spaces. Well, that is a service body. It is a bunch of closets on a truck and people who buy service bodies do exactly the same thing we do at home with our closets. They fill them up. Except they fill them up with heavy things like tools, and machines, chains, etc. And. . . they never empty them. If there is empty space, they fill it. Then they put some more in the cargo bed area too. 388 lbs would go by so quickly, you wouldn't even notice it happened.

But that's not all--not by a longshot. Let's look at safety. Half ton trucks have half ton type tires and are meant to only carry half ton type loads. They have half ton brakes which are designed to stop only half ton loads. They have half ton axles which are designed to support only half ton loads. They have half ton suspensions which are designed to support only half ton loads. In fact, everything about the half ton is half ton rated. A steel service body is not half ton rated.

Even an aluminum service body on a half ton is still not a very good idea, although it is about 40% lighter. A fiberglass body is even lighter, even as light as 500 lbs plus the rack, but the primary thing to remember is how people use service bodies versus how they use a pickup truck. All those closets means only one thing: they can fill them up with stuff and they don't get emptied, so it is loaded 100 percent of the time. Pickups are not.

As a dealer, all of this puts a dealer in the liability loop in a big way. Suppose one buys this truck and gets into an accident. Not an on purpose, but an accident. Suppose someone got hurt. Suppose there are lawyers getting involved. Suppose they start checking the facts. It would be child's play to find out that this body should never have been put on this truck. Guess what comes next. Cha-ching!

Worse than this is someone is seriously injured because an axle broke under the load. I've seen it happen on trucks many times--even on trucks we sold and that is why I learned this lesson the hard way many, many years ago.

My best advice is to steer clear of half ton trucks with service bodies of any kind.

10/19/10

CNG Isuzu Truck On Bin Duty For Corio Waste Management


Corio Waste Management has recently put its first Isuzu NPR 300 CNG truck into service for the City of Casey in Victoria, giving a new meaning to the term ‘green’ waste.


Winning a lucrative long-term contract based on the environmental credentials of the Isuzu NPR 300 CNG, Corio Waste Management's newly-delivered garbage compactor is specified with a MacDonald Johnston rear loading compactor body, and is used exclusively to collect public litter and recyclables within the City of Casey.

According to Corio Waste Management's General Manager, Matthew Dickens, the City of Casey preferred the use of alternative fuelled trucks for its public litter collection services.

"During the tendering process for the public litter collection contract, the City of Casey clearly stated that it would give preference to contractors who used alternative fuelled trucks," Mr Dickens said.

"Corio Waste Management had already considered converting a number of its existing trucks to run on Liquefied Natural Gas or CNG using aftermarket conversions.

"When Isuzu released a factory backed CNG truck, which suited our needs on the City of Casey contract, we purchased the product right away," Mr Dickens said.

According to Mr Dickens – a qualified environmental scientist and carbon accounting and carbon management expert – the Isuzu CNG NPR 300 truck delivers significant savings in terms of nitrogen oxides (NOx) and Particulate Matter (PM) emissions over its diesel counterparts.

"The Isuzu CNG truck is great for the environment – it is one of the cleanest trucks available on the market," Mr Dickens said.

"It emits zero PM, and around 50 per cent less NOx than a diesel truck in the equivalent weight class.

"In addition, the Isuzu NPR CNG surpasses all government truck emissions regulations, such as Australian Design Rule 80/03 and Euro V due to be introduced in January next year."

With a strong environmental background, Mr Dickens has also implemented a Carbon Management Strategy for the company, which aims to achieve carbon neutrality and work towards quantifying and addressing its full life cycle greenhouse gas (GHG) footprint over time.

"Corio Waste Management prepared a GHG inventory for the first time for financial year 2008‐09 and has made a commitment to reduce its GHG emissions by 20 per cent of 2008‐09 net emissions by 2011‐12, and achieve carbon neutrality by 2020," Mr Dickens said.

"Using alternative fuel vehicles is an important step in this process, and we will be replacing the older Isuzu trucks on fleet with CNG models in the coming years."

Fitted with a MacDonald Johnston JM6 rear loading garbage compactor, the Isuzu NPR 300 CNG works seven days a week, collecting public litter and recyclables. The truck traverses around 200 kilometres a day and has already returned notable financial savings for Corio Waste Management, according to Mr Dickens.

"The Isuzu NPR CNG has delivered substantial fuel cost savings for Corio Waste Management, as natural gas is far cheaper than diesel," Mr Dickens said.

"With Advanced Fuels Technology installing a CNG gas compressor for us at our depot in Dandenong South, we have the luxury of securing a fixed long-term deal with our gas supplier."

According to Mr Dickens, the Isuzu CNG truck will also reduce Corio Waste Management’s vehicle maintenance expenses.

"A natural gas engine burns cleaner and more efficiently than a diesel engine," Mr Dickens said.

"It is also cheaper to maintain, as the truck only requires regular servicing, filter and minor component changes periodically.”

The drivers have also been pleasantly surprised by the power and performance of the Isuzu NPR 300 CNG garbage compactor, according to Mr Dickens.

"Our drivers have been very impressed with the power of the Isuzu NPR 300 CNG – they couldn't notice the performance difference between the Isuzu CNG 130 gas engine and a conventional diesel engine," Mr Dickens said.

Operating in stop-start city conditions, backstreets, parks and around sports ovals, the Corio Waste Management Isuzu NPR 300 CNG garbage compactor is serviced exclusively by Patterson Cheney Isuzu.

For more information about Isuzu Trucks, Australia, visit http://www.isuzu.com.au/.

10/18/10

Dept. 180 | CZ10A | Solid - A Bit Of Fun For The Day!


No, this is not a commercial truck, it's a commercial, but it was way too cool to not show it. Enjoy!

Development engineers use acoustic test footage recorded in a soundproof anechoic chamber of the all-new 2011 Chevrolet Cruze and make beautiful music together. Literally.

The All-New Ford Ranger


The all-new Ford Ranger -- the latest in a wave of global vehicles -- makes its worldwide debut today at the Australian International Motor Show. The all-new Ranger has a powerful presence and promises to give pickup truck owners more can-do capability and a transformed truck ownership experience.


From impressive gains in power and safety to exceptional towing capability, the next-generation Ford Ranger emerges as a clear segment leader. It not only builds on the tremendous Ranger heritage of pickup truck capability, but it also gives truck owners a spacious, comfortable, feature-filled interior and sophisticated driving experience they would expect to find only in a car.

Amongst the most high-tech in its segment, Ranger is the impressive result of an all-new global compact pickup truck platform from Ford -- the latest to emerge under the company's One Ford initiative -- and Mazda. It replaces two previous-generation compact truck platforms currently in production to present a new face of Built Ford Tough to customers around the world.

10/15/10

Lifting and Loading Off Crew Trucks and Down Stairs - Powermate


These are two products for help in Lifting and Loading. The LiftGate mounts to a crew truck for loading and unloading jackhammers, street drills, or other heavy equipment. The other device, the Pogo, is a powered hand truck for going down stairs if you are servicing gas appliances. I haven't tried either one, but one utility has purchased the LiftGate and another is considering the powered hand trucks.

See more at www.powermate.info/

10/14/10

1956 Chevrolet TV Ad: New Chevy Trucks . . . and the GVW song. . .


It's the GVW song. . . what a great commercial from 1956. This video and many more are available at Automobile History USA on YouTube.

CASECO TRUCK BODY RH AERIAL DEMO


CASECO TRUCK BODY is a full line truck equipment distributor as well as a manufacturer of Crane Bodies, Dump Bodies, Platform Bodies, and Custom Bodies.

Located strategically in the center of the US we service individual and fleet needs coast to coast.

This video is of a unique "green" product, the RH Aerial manufactured in Canada with CASECO Truck Body as the US distributor. This unit is a "green" product in that the truck chassis need not be running while the aerial is in use. The unit runs off of an auxiliary battery that charges while you drive and can be maximum charged by 110 volt shore power at night.

Visit http://www.casecotruck.com/ for more information.

10/13/10

Western Mule Pickup Truck Cranes


Introducing Western Mule Cranes: Heavy duty Fold-A-Way Bumper Cranes and Telescoping Boom Cranes that lift up to 2500 lbs. Various models to choose from for your pickup truck, service body, flatbed, van, cube van and more.

10/12/10

Switch-N-Go Detachable Truck Body System: What? Why? & Where?


This video goes over the the three Ws. What is Switch-N-Go? Why Switch-N-Go? & Where can I learn more about Switch-N-Go?

Russ Wallace, Switch-N-Go's Sales Manager leads this video.

10/11/10

Signature Series Truck Body - PurdyBilt By UPSCO


Top of the line model rig for the farrier looking to work in style, PurdyBilt gives you "The Signature Series" Truck Body. Built with the same quality and features of our standard truck bodies, this model has a few extras, like a contoured front panel. Not only is it painted to match your truck, equipment like drill presses and buffers inside are also painted the same. Also custom etchings for display. Signed by Neal Purdy himself!

Variety of custom & standard options and accessories to personalize your rig are available. 100% Customer Satisfaction Guaranteed!

Call today for your free estimate. 315.497.2733

Find them on Facebook, Twitter and of course http://www.purdybilt.com/

10/10/10

Unique Flatbed Dump with Specialty Rack System From North Bay Truck Body



Our thanks to Kris at North Bay Truck Body in Cordelia, CA for sending us this interesting flatbed dump.

This unit has 1-1/8" apitong hardwood floor with smooth steel overlay making it very strong. It also has 7-combo binders, 4 curbside with 3/4" rope hooks opposite, 3 on roadside. There is a 48" curbside under bed toolbox. It is equipped with a Rugby underbody hoist, model HR520EDM. Another feature is an electronic back-up alarm.

What I find interest more than the rest is the rack design. The rack sections are removable with what they call a dog lock system and made of 3"x2" metal.

North Bay has long been known as the custom flatbed experts and here is another in the very long line of custom flatbeds they have produced over the last 20+ years. See their website at http://www.nbtb.com/ or call them at 707-864-2700.

10/09/10

V-Snow Plows - Great Products For Contractors


20 years ago, it was hard to find a light duty truck with a V-Plow. Having been involved in the early development, I can attest that the early products were not too durable for heavy snows. But times have changed; the products have become very viable for commercial snow plowing applications.

There are many snow removal challenges that V-plows are made for and straight blades do not handle well or at all. Let me describe some:

• Breaking though deep heavy snow: V-Plows excel at this task. A straight blade will just stall the truck if it is used in the straight across position. It will push the truck to one side or the other if it is angled. The truck will end up in the ditch.

• When used in the scoop position, a V-Plow will move tons of snow straight ahead without losing it off the end of the blade.

• Stacking snow: At the end of the run, the V-blade /scoop can be lifted, helping stack a tall pile of snow.

• Carrying over the road: This surprises many people but straight blades are awkward when carrying around on the front of a truck. They extend way out and up in the air. They also bounce around a lot. A V-Plow on the other hand can be carried in the V-Position, tight to the front of the truck. It does not extend out as far and it doesn’t bounce. In short, it gives the driver more visibility and is less hazardous in the carrying position.

I have included two videos: Fisher Snowplows and Boss Snowplows; these are both great products and there are a few others available. See your local truck dealer or truck equipment distributor.

FISHER XTREMEV:

http://www.fisherplows.com/fe/showroom/xtremev


BOSS Power V:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NH5DyNp0O34&feature=player_embedded#!


Find all the great products at Fisher Plows: Find all the great products at Boss Plows:

http://www.fisherplows.com/fe/index.php                       http://www.bossplow.com/


Find a Fisher dealer at: Find a Boss dealer at:

http://www.fisherplows.com/fe/locate_dealer/          http://www.bossplow.com/dealerlocator


Guest post by Steve Taylor. Steve is a consultant in the Truck Equipment business with over 30 years in the snowplow and truck body manufacturing business. He specializes in the design and quality/reliability field and may be reached by email at steve@truckarchitect.com. You may visit his website at http://www.truckarchitect.com/.

10/08/10

Nice Highly Specialized 11' Service Body By Cobalt Truck Equipment






Here's a truck that was recently done for NV Energy by Cobalt Truck Equipment of Nampa, Idaho. There is a long list of specialized features built into this truck and a list of those items is below for your enjoyment:

2011 Ford F-550 4WD with 6.7L V8 diesel engine and 19,500 lb GVWR

Knapheide 11’ custom service body with transverse compartment and master locks

Workbench bumper with storage compartment and class V receiver hitch

Strobe light system with front and rear traffic directors

Safety cone holders

V-Mac VR70 rotary screw air compressor, 70 cfm @ 175 psi

35 lb. heated grease system

Self contained power vacuum system with 220 gallon debris tank and interchangeable suction tips

Pressure washer with heated 60 gallon water tank

(4) custom drawer units with adjustable dividers

SCBA tank system with breathing hose reel

3,000 watt inverter with AC cord reel and (4) duplex outlets

DC cord reel with magnetic LED work light

Storage provisions for valve keys and bars

First aid kit and fire extinguisher

Back-up camera

Our thanks go to Paul Bedke of Cobalt Truck Equipment for sharing these great photos with us. It looks like an awesome package that should serve NV Enegy very well. For more information about Cobalt Truck, visit their website at http://www.cobalttruck.com/.

10/07/10

Video Highlights of the 2010 Work Truck Show From Pickuptrucks.com


Work trucks may sit at the periphery of most people's awareness as they go about their daily lives but without these trucks, and the workers who use them, our lives would be a lot tougher. We take a close look at some of the most interesting commercial rigs and equipment that were on display at this year's Work Truck Show in St. Louis.

Thank you to http://www.pickuptrucks.com/ for this video!

10/06/10

Truck U Race Truck Fire Extinguishers


American Pacific Corporation, Halotron Division
Halguard/Halotron I Portable Fire Extinguisher Agent
H3R Performance, Inc.
HalGuard™ Halotron 1® Clean Agent Fire Extinguisher


10/04/10

Dyno Stress: Dyno v. Engine for 150,000 Miles.


The 2011 F-150 is coming with your choice of four new engines. But we've singles out one engine to tests its limits mercilessly. If it has any limits. The all-new EcoBoost™. In the lab and in the field, we're going to prove just how tough this remarkable engine is.

10/03/10

The Testing Behind The New International® Terrastar™



With the upcoming 16,000-19,500 GVWR International® TerraStar™ currently in testing, Ken Clark, senior reliability engineer at Navistar, takes us into the lab to share the steps taken to ensure that the new truck, like all International products, will deliver best-in-class quality, durability, and reliability.

According to Clark, part of his role is to determine the level of testing required prior to new product launches. One of his first tasks involves considering what components are common to existing International® trucks. For example, in the case of the International TerraStar, many of the components are the same as those used to build the popular International DuraStar® vehicle. "It’s not a ‘clean-sheet-of-paper’ design," he explains. "How much testing we need to do depends on how much carryover confidence we have. And the DuraStar is already a proven truck."
However, because the TerraStar features a new hood design (a tilt-away hood that offers unobstructed access to the engine compartment) that differs from the DuraStar, engineers must conduct shaker tests; during these tests, a computer-controlled hydraulic machine bumps and jostles the cab and hood to stimulate the activity of a vehicle traveling actual roads.

"The purpose is to make sure the hood is adequately durable," says Clark. "The hood does more than just cover the engine. It’s an assembly that holds the headlights and the grille. It’s designed to be both functional and attractive, and we need to make sure it’s going to last."
All International trucks also go through full durability tests, where pilot vehicles are run across simulated rough terrain on a closed track to accelerate structural damage. Over three months, lab technicians can put the equivalent of 10 years of fatigue onto the chassis and body.

"We have measured customer fleets and built wear-and-tear simulations around types of roads, and the types of things certain vehicles will likely see," says Clark. "We run trucks over two sets of rectangular steel bars on our test track to simulate railroad crossings. And we’ll customize the tests based on vehicle and vocation. For example, a WorkStar® tends to run in a more severe environment, such as construction, so it may see 10 times the railroad crossings that a ProStar® will see. The durability test will be built around these expectations."

The track also features shallow trenches that represent bridge expansion joints and areas with different curb heights and depths. "The idea is, the left front tire goes down while the right front tire goes up; and on the rear axle, it’s the opposite," Clark continues. "You’re trying to put a twisting load into the frame and suspension to provide the equivalent of a delivery truck running over a curb, or a dump truck driving out of a quarry."

There are other durability events that represent different types of rough surfaces over which a truck may be driven. The durability test will utilize those events that are suitable for the expected vocation of the vehicle.

All results are recorded in a database, and any issues that are discovered are immediately communicated back to truck designers, who incorporate the findings into redesigns.

Even though the International TerraStar is already in production, Navistar engineers are constantly testing the vehicle to ensure maximum quality. For example, the TerraStar is currently going through uptime testing, which measures reliability by placing four pilot vehicles on the road for 36,000 miles each. Whereas durability tests gauge how long a truck is going to last, uptime tests determine whether the truck performs the way it is supposed to perform.

"With the TerraStar, we’re driving the trucks in urban and suburban environments, running part of the time loaded and other times unloaded, looking for anything the customer might experience," says Clark, who notes that much of the test routes are based on the TerraStar’s expected usage, such as intra-city pick-up and delivery applications.

"The truck is testing extremely well," he says. "I think it’s unique in that it’s a Class 4/5 that’s going to offer the advantages of a Class 6 truck in a lighter package. Anyone who could use the durability and reliability of a real truck for their business is going to find the TerraStar a compelling option."

The TerraStar truck will initially be available with a 4x2 drivetrain this fall with a 4x4 drivetrain planned for release in 2011.

For more information, go to: www.internationaltrucks.com/terrastarbuildyourown

10/02/10

Caring for the future


Volvo 75th anniversary film 2002. Animations of Volvo's founders, Assar Gabrielsson and Gustaf Larsson, present Volvo - founded in 1927.

Excellent video!

10/01/10

Hino Trucks Announces Best In Class Warranty For Its 2011 Line Up



Novi, Michigan - Hino Trucks, which received Certification of Conformity to the 2010 Emissions Regulation from the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the California’s Air Resources Board (CARB) for all of its engine ratings, announced today a new standard engine warranty of 5 years/250,000 miles. In addition to the standard items covered by Hino Trucks’ past engine warranty, the new coverage has been expanded to cover key components such as fuel injectors, the fuel injection supply pump and the turbo charger. Hino Trucks’ proprietary J-08 Series engine has been recognized by J.D. Power and Associates for two consecutive years for “Highest in Customer Satisfaction with Conventional Medium Duty Engines and Transmissions.”

“Our engines have been recognized as the medium duty market leader for quality, durability and reliability. We are confident in our product and we are willing to stand behind it with the industry’s best standard engine warranty,” said Bob McDowell, Senior Vice President of Sales and Customer Support.

Hino Trucks is using Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) to meet the 2010 EPA emissions requirement. In fact, Hino Trucks is the only medium duty conventional truck to meet the 2010 EPA Emissions Requirement without the use of credits. “The Earth does not take credits and it is a core value of Hino Trucks to be socially responsible,” explained Glenn Ellis, Vice President Marketing and Dealer Operations. “In addition to meeting the emissions requirement without the use of credits, our 2011 model year trucks will see a fuel economy improvement. By choosing Hino Trucks, our customers are choosing the cleanest, highest rated engine in the conventional medium duty market,” added Ellis.

Hino Trucks is taking its message on the road by hosting a multi-city dealer tour throughout the month of October, showcasing the 2011 line up. Hino Trucks 2011 268 model was recently named the 2010 American Truck Dealers (ATD) Medium Duty Commercial Truck of the Year. Hino Truck dealers are now taking delivery of the 2011 trucks and are offering an introductory low APR finance rate through Hino Trucks’ preferred financial partners, Toyota Financial Services and Hitachi Capital America.

About Hino Trucks

Hino Trucks, a Toyota Group Company, assembles, sells and services class 6-7 commercial trucks in the United States and is headquartered in Novi, Michigan. With over 175 dealers across the country, Hino Trucks is the fastest growing medium duty truck nameplate in the United States. Visit our internet home page at http://www.hino.com/ or follow us on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.