1/31/12

American Eagle Drawer Systems


American Eagle Accessories Group manufactures heavy duty truck mounted drawer systems (Toolboxes) for your service truck. 500-pound capacity drawer slides make these drawers unsurpassed in the market. They even carry a limited LIFETIME warranty!

Visit www.americaneagleacc.com or call 800-392-3015 to learn more!

1/30/12

FORD SUPER DUTY. WE OWN WORK. FORESTRY.


Buzzing saws, falling trees and a work floor that's steep, slick and rugged. Loggers have a dangerous job. They need a truck that's as tough as they are. See why the Ford Super Duty stands high above the rest in the forestry business. www.ford.com/commercial-trucks/

1/29/12

Renault Kangoo ZE European Launch 2011


For further information go to http://www.vansa2z.com/Renault-Kangoo-ZE-2011-European-Launch

Renault is at the forefront of manufacturers offering a mass produced factory-built electric van in the shape of the Kangoo ZE. VansA2Z attended the European launch in Portugal...

1/28/12

Ford Transit Review & Buyers' Guide 2012


For more detailed information go to http://www.vansa2z.com/Ford-Transit-Review-Buyers-Guide.

Great range of fuel-efficient 2.2-litre Euro 5 diesels, massive model choice with either front-, rear- or all-wheel drive and the improvement in refinement, and especially noise levels, over the predecessors is astonishing. Best ever Transit, no question about it.

[Can't wait. . .}

1/27/12

VMAC - How Our Vehicle Mounted Air Compressors Work


Our animated feature showing how VMAC's UNDERHOOD air comrpessors work. VMAC is a world-leader in the development of truck mounted mobile air compressor solutions used for service trucks, public works, utilities and highway/heavy construction.

VMAC engineers and manufactures 70cfm and 150cfm UNDERHOOD Air Compressor Systems, 40cfm and 60cfm PREDATAIR hydraulic driven Air Compressor Systems and THROTTLE COMMANDER 3-speed engine throttle controls. UNDERHOOD and PREDATAIR Air Compressors feature high-powered rotary screw air-on-demand technology. Both systems are ideal for use on work trucks in applications such as mining, construction, tire-service, fire-apparatus and municipal operations.

THROTTLE COMMANDER throttle controls are easy to install idle up speed controllers activated with a 12-volt signal. Designed for electronic engines, these load sensing throttle controls will follow a preset programmed rpm setting. VMACs success comes from working with customers to determine what their air compressor needs are and then surpassing those needs with unparalleled product quality, innovation and customer service.

By regularly introducing new and innovative products to the market, VMAC ensures it remains the leader in truck mounted mobile air compressor technology. For more info visit http://www.vmacair.com

1/26/12

Overloading Trucks is Still a Problem – Spec your Truck using a Rightsizing Approach - A Rebuttal by Steve Taylor

Terry posted an article about downsizing commercial trucks (I've Changed My Thinking about Overloading Trucks) and used the Ford Transit Connect as a very good example of Ford leading the industry with a smaller alternative to full size vans. I have watched the growth of this product from the sidelines, but going back about 5 years and about two years before it hit the US market, I was included in the Transit Connect up-fit planning with Ford. At the time I too was a bit cynical about the viability of a lighter duty vehicle taking over the work of a full size van. I now take my hat off to Ford, and agree with Terry that this product was a great move and shows a lot of leadership for Ford.

I don’t think that Terry meant to say that overloading is OK! I think he meant that smaller, lighter vehicles can be designed with “fitness for use” standards and if we take a closer look at their use and are open to challenging the way things are done; then maybe we can make changes to our commercial work trucks. I agree with that.

But when we look across the whole array of vehicles included in the “commercial segment,” I am not sure that one can make a downsizing a widespread all vehicle goal! When it comes to vans, a lot has been done to “re-engineer” the storage and retrieval space and the work space. There are many new products that have evolved from the introduction of the smaller vans. For example, take the Katerack bin system product that slides out of the van when you need access to or retrieval of stored product or tools.

See my previous blog article: http://www.ctsblog.net/2010/05/finally-out-of-box-storage-retrieval.html. This “Out of the Box” concept utilizes the van for storage and a user has no need to enter the storage space. There are also many storage bins available for efficient storage of small parts. These products enable a customer to use smaller vans.

The use of a truck dictates whether downsizing is viable. Using Ford as an example, look at the Ford F150; Ford has decided that the F150 cannot handle a snowplow, and therefore requires you to “upsize” to a F250 in their product line. I am not privy to their decision making, but you can be sure that if they thought that a lighter truck would stand up to the plowing conditions; they would not be giving up market share to the competition!

Dump trucks probably cannot be downsized! Take the 2-3 yard dumps. In the early 1980’s Ford introduced a new lighter frame that proved to be a problem when a raised dump body slammed to the frame. They quickly returned to the drawing boards and added less than 20 pounds of steel back into the frame. Now someone may come up with newer, lighter materials that will lighten the trucks but the trend seems to be counter to that, for example the growth of the F450 and F550 segment.

Reality in the workplace is that trucks are often overloaded! The manufacturers know that and that’s why they are designed with a safety factor. This mostly relates to the durability of the structural components, frames, springs axles, wheels, power trains and drivelines. But overloading can cause accidents as well, and that is something that you and I and everyone that operates or travels on a highway should be concerned about.

The lawyers at the truck manufacturers know this as well and their influence always ends up affecting product offerings.

So I don’t disagree with Terry on the content of his blog article, but I do have a little problem with its title!

2011 American Towman Expo | Baltimore


©2012 Miller Industries Towing and Recovery Equipment.

www.MillerInd.com

2012 Toyota Tundra with Load'N'Go Sportsman


The Upgraded Load'N'Go Sportsman by Fleetwest Transferable Truck Bodies---Fleetwest Transferable Truck Bodies recently unveiled the new Load'N'Go Sportsman utility body. The Sportsman replaces the Lowboy model and features several improvements to the 'proven tough' Lowboy. Contractors will still enjoy the lightweight transferable service body that is universal fit for all major makes of pickup trucks including Ford, Chevy and Dodge. Built rugged to work on ½ ton and larger trucks, it can be moved on and off the bed, fully loaded, in a matter of minutes.

The Sportsman's new design features these improved benefits:

• Hinged aluminum diamond plate rear door that safely secures parts, tools and equipment in the 1000# capacity pull-out drawer.
• Two full length side storage compartments over the wheels are secured with durable, lightweight aluminum diamond plate doors.
• Protective black spray-on liner coats the entire service body inside and out, eliminating scratches, scrapes and potential rust spots.
• Tie-down rails have been added to the inside top of the sidewalls to provide an easy way to safely secure your load in the bed.

For more information go to www.fleetwest.net or call 866-497-7200

1/25/12

Reach™ by Isuzu Truck and Utilimaster


A true commercial van with an aerodynamic design and fuel-efficient Isuzu powertrain that delivers up to 35 percent better fuel-efficiency— a new definition of safety, performance and cost-effectiveness. See more at www.utilimaster.com and www.isuzucv.com

1/24/12

Sales Success with Dale Carnegie and Jeffrey Gitomer


Introduction to the Sales Success course from Dale Carnegie Training & Jeffrey Gitomer.

[This is exciting news. See more at http://www.dalecarnegie.com/events/sales_success/]

Steve Moote Interview - The Boss Snowplows


See more about The Boss Snowplows at www.bossplow.com

1/23/12

T180 Rotator at Detroit Wrecker Sales


Detroit Wrecker Sales is your Leader in bringing state of the art Towing Equipment. We off our customers a full line of specialty Roll Backs. Here is a promo of the T-180 available at Detroit Wrecker Sales. Make sure you check out our Low Loader as well!

See more at www.detroitwrecker.com

1/22/12

Quiet and emissions-free driving in the city: Vito E-Cell vans cover 650,000 km in customer use



■ World’s first van with electric drive system ex factory tested successfully on the road over one year
■ Intelligent charging technology utilises green electricity
■ Positive all-round assessment of Vito E-CELL van in daily use by customers and drivers
■ 230 Vito E-CELLs cover 650,000 km in model regions in Germany
■ 400 Vito E-CELLs built in 2011, further models planned

Stuttgart/Berlin – Quiet, emissions-free and practical – 100 battery-driven electric Mercedes-Benz Vito E-CELL vans have proven their worth in customer use in Berlin and Stuttgart. The world’s first van fitted with an electric drive system ex factory has been taking to the roads in the German capital since autumn 2010, and in Stuttgart since the beginning of 2011. The two projects, each with 50 Vito E-CELLs, are intended to run over a period of four years. The final reports scheduled for the end of the promotional period indicate a positive result: the Vito E-CELL is ideally suited to use on inner-city routes. The vehicle has made the vision of emissions-free driving in commercial traffic a reality. A total of 230 Vito E-CELL vans are now in use in several model regions.

Automotive industry, commercial enterprises, energy suppliers and policy makers in successful collaboration

The projects serve to demonstrate how the automotive industry, together with commercial enterprises, energy suppliers and policy makers, can work together to provide crucial impetus to advance electric mobility in Germany. The German Federal Ministry for the Environment and Nature Conservation is lending its support to the Electrification of Mercedes-Benz Small Vans in Development and Production project (EMKEP) in Berlin. In Stuttgart, the Integrated Concept for Sustainable Electric Mobility project (IKONE) is being funded by the German Federal Ministry of Transport, Building and Urban Development. The two promotional initiatives are part of the German federal government’s second economic stimulus package.

Intelligent charging technology utilises green electricity

Mercedes-Benz and energy suppliers Vattenfall (Berlin) and EnBW (Stuttgart) have begun the implementation of new technologies in vehicles and their charging systems at both locations. The energy suppliers, for instance, have now provided charging stations to operators at their depots. The batteries of Vito E-CELL vans are recharged at these locations outside of operating hours.

Intelligent charging technology is used, based on the Smart Charge Communication Unit (SCCU) in the Vito E-CELL. The technology optimises the CO2 balance of the vans with certified green electricity, or even surplus wind energy (“Wind-to-Vehicle/W2V”). The charging technology can also be programmed to lower electricity tariffs to impact operating costs favourably. Where operators use several Vito E-CELL vans, the charging procedures are graded through a process of local charge management (LLM, in German: Lokales Lastmanagement) to ensure that the grid capacity is not overextended.


Highly diverse areas of application

Mercedes-Benz delivered the first vehicles for field testing to testing partners in Berlin at the beginning of September 2010, and in Stuttgart in January 2011. The areas of application are highly diverse: courier, express and package service providers (KEP, in German: Kurier-, Express- und Paketdienstleister), plant transportation in large corporations, service vehicles for plant maintenance, customer service, and assembly and internal transport within companies. The varied topography was a key factor in the selection of the regions. In contrast to the largely flat terrain of the greater Berlin area, the differences in elevation within the Stuttgart metropolitan area are as much as 350 meters, which presents a real stamina test for the range, recuperation performance and drive properties of the Vito E-CELL.

All-round positive assessment of Vito E-CELL van in daily use by customers and drivers

In both regions, the drivers’ assessment of the Vito E-CELL has been highly positive. Characteristics of drive performance, tractive force, steady acceleration without shifting gears and continuous braking were all rated favourably. Drivers also praised the quiet running. The sole drawback of a quiet drive system is that other road users do not always hear the van approaching; according to driver opinion, this necessitates increased attentiveness and an especially anticipatory driving style.

Range typically not exploited to the full

Initial concerns regarding a too limited range were not substantiated in practice. The vehicles proved capable of covering at least 80 km on a full battery charge, including in winter, which in most cases is a sufficient range. Specifically, this concerns KEP applications with fixed routes, trade companies, supply and municipal companies, and general use within the inner-city environment and within corporate facilities. In a survey conducted during testing in Stuttgart, for example, drivers rated the range of the Vito E-CELL as either good or satisfactory. The fact that the challenging topography of the region fails to limit the on-the-road capabilities of the Vito E-CELL was one of the key findings in field testing.

The charge level of the batteries is a key indicator of range. In Berlin, for instance, this typically fluctuated between 95 and 25 percent of available capacity. This indicates that the maximum range of the Vito E-CELL is seldom fully utilised. Comparatively short charging times of between one and three hours are thus the norm in both regions.

Top speed sufficient, drivers highly motivated

The speed of the Vito E-CELL is electronically limited to 89 km/h to preserve a maximum range. This allows the vans to be driven with ease within the flow of truck traffic on occasional trips on the autobahn. Often, the maximum speed is not reached: in Berlin, for instance, only 30 percent of electric vans were reported to reach top speed on a daily basis. Analyses revealed that, in most cases, the speed of the Vito E-CELL did not exceed 55 km/h in both cities. Speeds were largely in the 15 to 30 km/h range.

Technical design of the Vito E-CELL

The Vito E-CELL is based on the mid-length Vito panel van. With a load capacity of up to 900 kg and an unmodified usable load compartment, the Vito E-CELL is suitable for commercial applications without any restrictions. The bodywork as such remains unaffected.

The electric engine, power electronics, converter and AC/DC charger are housed beneath the bonnet. The electric engine develops 60 kW, with a peak torque of 280 Nm. The power is transferred to the front wheels. The high-performance and durable lithium-ion traction batteries are located beneath the load compartment floor. The nominal voltage is 360 V, with a capacity of 36 kWh.

The maximum speed is limited to 89 km/h to maximise the range, which according to NEDC is around 130 km. This enables the Vito E-CELL to keep pace with the flow of truck traffic on the autobahn. The vehicle accelerates quickly from 0 to 50/80 km/h in just 6.5/11 seconds.

Power supply is via charging stations at fleet depots. The batteries of the Vito E-CELL are charged at a mains voltage of 380/400 V, a process that takes a maximum of six hours. Later, charging will also be possible at a mains voltage of 230 V. Furthermore, the batteries are also charged while the vehicle is under way, through recuperation, in which brake energy is converted into power. Back-up for the Vito E-CELL during the two field tests was provided by the local subsidiaries. Like all Mercedes-Benz vehicles, the Vito E-CELL is also fully integrated into the Star Diagnosis diagnostics system.

Fully fledged safety features, successful crash tests

In contrast to other electric vehicles, the Vito E-CELL is equipped with fully fledged safety features, including ESP. Additionally, the batteries themselves are protected by a crash element. If the airbag is triggered, the high-voltage technology is disabled automatically. The Vito E-CELL has impressively demonstrated its high safety standards in crash tests.

Numerous awards for the Vito E-CELL

The Mercedes-Benz Vito E-CELL has been awarded numerous distinctions by many independent panels, including the “Postal Technology International Award 2010” and “Green Commercial Vehicle of the Year” award. In 2011, the Vito E-CELL was awarded the “Alternative Drive Systems” innovation prize in the “KEP Van of the Year” event, the “Baden-Württemberg Environmental Technology Prize” and the Design Award at the Michelin “Challenge Bibendum”, one of the world’s largest forums for sustainable mobility.

400 Vito E-CELL vans in 2011, further model variants

The greatest distinction achieved by the Mercedes-Benz Vito E-CELL is the demand for the vehicle among customers. In 2011, Mercedes-Benz manufactured some 400 Vito E-CELL vans in its Vitoria plant in the Basque region in Spain. There, the Vito E-CELL is manufactured on the same assembly lines as all other Vito vans. This professional standard of manufacturing is a crucial factor for acceptance among commercial customers.

Mercedes-Benz Vans has produced a series of 2000 E-CELL vehicles since 2011. The popularity of the electrically driven van is set to receive a further boost with additional model variants for even greater practice- and customer-oriented purposes. Since the Vito E-CELL has an EU type approval, no monitoring organisation assessment is required for licensing within the EU, and special directives for high-voltage technology are also not applicable.

Meanwhile, field testing continues in Berlin and Stuttgart. The vehicles are designed for four years of use, with a distance of up to 80,000 km per vehicle. Owing to the high levels of demand and acceptance experienced, it proved possible as early as the testing phase to deploy additional vehicles in other model regions of Germany. A total of 230 Vito E-CELL vans have taken to the road as part of the promotional initiatives, with a distance of approximately 650,000 km covered to date. Meanwhile, Mercedes-Benz is preparing to deploy the Vito in other regions of Germany, and in most western European countries as well.

1/21/12

I've Changed My Thinking About Overloading Trucks

I've changed my thinking and it's all because of Ford. I teach commercial trucks and have traditionally spent a lot of focus on the problems of overloading trucks. I understand it because I've lived it when I might have just as easily died driving overloaded trucks. As a result, I have always promoted heavier duty trucks, but I've changed my mind on that. Sure, there is a need for heavy duty sometimes, but the vast majority of the time in many applications, light duty would be such a benefit.

So, what did Ford do? They introduced the Transit Connect to the U.S. market. They started making noise about it two years early and now I understand why. I sort of laughed about that little light duty thing and what use it would be up against the Econoline size vans we've grown accustomed to. Now I see Transit Connects everywhere, and it makes more sense than ever. So, my hat is off to Ford one more time for their leadership and financial courage bringing this and a series of world vehicles yet to arrive to the U.S. market.

As energy prices continue to climb worldwide, we need solutions in the U.S. to help us get our work done and have it make sense financially and at the same time be more sensitive to the environment. Smaller, lighter, more efficient trucks help significantly, and the Transit Connect is one such solution, along with the Eco-Boost technology. Fuel efficient vehicles including commercial trucks are the mainstay in Europe and around the world because fuel prices outside of the U.S. are somewhat greater. It is time that these same kind of solutions are brought to the U.S., and especially in commercial trucks. I can't wait to see the Ford Transit cab chassis units that are available in Europe here.

I just published a book I've wanted to write for a long time. It is titled, Commercial Truck Success, Building or Rebuilding an Effective, Successful, and Profitable Commercial Truck Operation within a Retail Auto Dealership. In this book I talk about lighter duty solutions and how they benefit everyone. Though overloading can always be an issue, my focus on overloading has changed to having an efficient, cost-effective and useful commercial truck that will satisfy and serve a majority in the commercial truck market. At the same time, this opens up more of the market due to the lower cost in initial price and operating costs.

I'm excited about the future of commercial trucks and the improvements that are here now and coming soon. I see a bright future in lighter, greener and better trucks that work here as well as they do around the world. I look to Ford in continuing to lead the way, set the pace, expand their influence and at the same time, benefit everyone.

This article appears in the Winter issue just released of the Ford Pros Magazine.

1/20/12

What Is Your Back Worth?



If you've ever experienced back pain and other back related issues, you instantly know just how valuable your back is to your mobility. Here's a couple of back savers: The SpitzLift Aluminum Crane mounted inside the Knapheide KUV body which lifts 900 lbs and can be mounted on any body almost anywhere to help you get those loads that should not be lifted with your back on to and off of your truck. The other is a Tommy Gate Liftgate mounted on a service body. Whether it is something very heavy or just more than you need to lift, either of these products can be a back saver.

Save your back. Retrofit your old truck now with one of these great tools, and insure that your new truck gets the right back savers installed. There are many other back saving tools as well like roll-out drawers, side steps and much more.

This post is courtesy of California Work Trucks in Union City, CA. Give them a call at 510-477-8425 and they will help you get the best features to keep you and your back healthy. See their website at www.calworktrucks.com

1/19/12

Ram 1500 Walkaround with NAIAS Spokesmodel


Katie Williams, North American International Auto Show Spokesmodel, gives a tour of the Ram 1500 from the floor of Cobo Center in Detroit. Read RamZone's interview with Williams at http://www.ramzone.com/2012/01/19/ram-trucks-spokesmodel-interview-naias-video/

[Close your eyes and you'll think you're in an airport listening to announcements. . . open your eyes and it is much more enjoyable to watch--and is especially enjoyable to turn the sound off. . .]

2012 PickupTrucks.com Midsize Shootout


Find out who's the 2012 King of the Hill as PickupTrucks.com tests the entire small-truck segment to determine which little pickups fly, and which fall flat.

The trucks tested are the 2012 Chevy Colorado, 2011 Ford Ranger, 2012 GMC Canyon, 2012 Honda Ridgeline, 2012 Nissan Frontier, 2012 Suzuki Equator and the 2012 Toyota Tacoma. www.pickuptrucks.com

1/18/12

The NTEA Work Truck Show Is A Must-Go Event

The Must-Attend Event for the Work Truck Industry 2009WorkTruckLogo(COLOR)withoutdateWTS11_Exhibit PhotoThe Work Truck Show, held in conjunction with the annual NTEA Convention, is the must-attend industry event featuring the newest products, dozens of intensive training programs and technical engineering support from hundreds of exhibitors.
As North America’s largest work truck event, it is the ultimate opportunity for attendees to interact with thousands of industry peers; meet with current suppliers; get answers to critical technical questions; experience special events; and visit with hundreds of exhibiting companies.

Product Launches and InnovationsThe show floor showcases approximately 500,000 sq. ft. of Class 1–8 vocational trucks and equipment, featuring dozens of product launches:
  • Truck Chassis
  • Truck Bodies & Equipment
  • Snow & Ice Control Equipment
  • Cranes & Aerial Devices
  • Liftgates & Material Handling Equipment
  • New Product Spotlight
The Green Truck SummitGTS 2010 LogoHeld in conjunction with The Work Truck Show and produced in partnership with CALSTART, this day-and-a-half intensive program offers valuable insight into real-world deployment and application of green technologies and how
they impact commercial trucks:
  • Technology deployment
  • Fuel utilization
  • Fleet and vehicle integration
  • Cost justification
The Latest in Green InitiativesIn addition to the Green Truck Summit, several key event components are tailored to address today’s growing interest and demand for hybrid vehicles and alternative fuel technology, including:
  • The Green Truck Ride-and-Drive
  • CALSTART Clean Technology and Fuels Pavilion
  • Hybrid & Alternative Fuel Curriculum
  • Green Product Showcase
  • The Work Truck Show Green Award
WTS 11 Recap 6World-Class Industry TrainingMore than 60 intensive educational programs provide expert knowledge into essential industry topics such as:
  • Truck Specification
  • Truck OEM Update Sessions
  • Industry Trends & Benchmarks
  • Fleet Management
  • Truck Upfitting
  • Regulatory Compliance

1/17/12

Forget Resolutions: 7 Business Things You DON’T Have to Do in 2012 by Carolyn Higgins

Note: At Commercial Truck Success we recommend that you print this out and read it often. It is wonderful thoughts to contemplate and incorporate into your life and your business. Bravo Carolyn!

Here is Carolyn's article:

Call me a rebel… or a Scrooge… or a Grinch if you must, but I am so happy all this holiday nonsense is finally over. And as I sit here trying to come up with a blog for the new year, the word "resolution" keeps popping into my head and I absolutely REFUSE to give you marketing or business resolutions for the new year. You’re under enough pressure, I’m not going to give you a long list of more things you already know you should do.

So… no resolution talk here, I promise. Instead, for the new year, let’s vow to not make a single resolution; no diets, exercise programs (ok, I’ll admit this one is self-serving – hoping to ward off the "New Year Resolutioners" who invade my gym for a few weeks this time every year), no vows to spend more time with the kids, or call our mother more often, no promising to read, write, or volunteer more or spend less… Forget all that!

Resolutions are all about feeling bad for what we didn’t do last year, making more unrealistic goals for ourselves ("I’m going to lose 20 lbs this month") and then feeling like total losers and failures – AGAIN, when we don’t live up to them. I say "No more pressure, we have enough!" So instead of giving you a bunch of Marketing Resolutions and telling you what you should do, I’m going give you a list of things you don’t have to do! There! How’s that for rebellion? Bet you’re thinking I’m not such a Scrooge now are you?

So here is my list of 7 things you don’t have to do in 2012

You don’t have to do everything yourself anymore. That’s right. 2012 is the year you bite the bullet and hire help. Hire an accountant, a bookkeeper, a salesperson, an assistant, or whatever it is you need that will allow you more time to focus on the things you really want to focus on!

You don’t have to work with anybody and everybody with a checkbook. You have a successful business; you’ve made it this far because you provide a valuable product or service. You are too good to work with people who don’t value you and who try to nickel and dime you at every turn. So the next time you are tempted by someone you know is going to be a big ole pain in the butt, politely refer them to your competition, explaining that you feel they’d be a better fit.

You don’t have to be everything to everybody. Your business is special. You provide something unique to a select group of people that no one else can deliver in quite the same way. Your job is to find that niche. And when you find it you will become confident enough to say "no" when asked to do something outside of your scope, capabilities or comfort zone. You do what you do better than anyone else and you don’t need to pretend to be more than what you are. Stay true to your mission.

You don’t have to work every single night and weekend. I realized this sometime in the past couple of months, taking time off is key to my mental well being and sanity – and it makes me more productive. Really, you don’t have to work so many hours. All the work will get done (see #1 again), I promise!

You don’t have to follow the crowd. Just because all your friends are on Facebook, doesn’t mean it’s right for your business. Just because your competitors do things a certain way, doesn’t mean you have to. It’s your business – your baby, your dream. Do it however the hell you want! Dare to be bold. Dare to stand out. Dare to be unique!

You don’t have to make excuses for where you are in your life or your business. As human beings we all grew at different rates, the same is true of your business. Don’t compare yourself to others. If you know you are doing everything in your power and using every tool and resource available to you, there is no need to feel bad about where you are. We grow at different rates and as long as you are on track toward achieving your goals you are just fine.

You don’t have to take advice from anyone you don’t want to! Everybody has advice, have you noticed that? I was in the gym recently and a guy who I’ve never seen lift a single weight was telling me how I should be lifting weights. When advice is given consider the source: is it someone you respect? Is their business the type of business you’d like to emulate? If not, ignore them and look for people you do respect!

So, how does that feel? A whole list of things you DON’T have to do in 2012! What a relief, right? Running a business is hard work, don’t be too hard on yourself, have fun with it and have the best year ever!!!

See more from Carolyn Higgins at www.fortunemarketingcompany.com.

1/16/12

VIA Motors - Electric Trucks For Work and Play


The above video is from a year ago, but great to watch because it sets the foundation for VIA Motors and the electric truck. We welcome seeing this concept becoming mainstream.

Below is an current up to date video showing progress.

See more about these products at www.ViaMotors.com

1/15/12

Make Your Friends Green with Envy: Drive 21 Environmentally Friendly Trucks at The Work Truck Show® 2012

FARMINGTON HILLS, MI (Dec. 6, 2011) — The Work Truck Show® 2012 will once again max out available space at the Indiana Convention Center to provide show attendees with access to 21 environmentally friendly vehicles during the Green Truck Ride-and-Drive. Equipment demonstrations of electric PTOs and similar technologies also will take place in a stationary display area adjacent to the outdoor Ride-and-Drive course.

The Work Truck Show, North America’s largest work truck event, runs March 6-8, 2012. Education sessions start March 5. The Green Truck Ride-and-Drive is open to all Show attendees on Tuesday, March 6, and Wednesday, March 7, from 12:00pm to 4:30pm. There is no additional charge to participate.

A fixture of The Work Truck Show since 2007, the Green Truck Ride-and-Drive gives Show attendees the opportunity to experience cutting-edge technologies and energy-efficient vehicles firsthand. This year’s event includes a wide range of environmentally friendly drive systems, including CNG, propane, battery-electric, extended range electric, ultra-clean biodiesel, bi-fuel CNG, electric hybrids (series and parallel), and hydraulic hybrids. Some of the vehicles will also feature lightweight and aerodynamic technologies that further reduce the vehicle’s fuel consumption.

“Driving a truck under real-world conditions provides insights into the vehicle that you can’t get any other way,” explains Bob Johnson, NTEA fleet relations director. “You can experience for yourself the vehicle’s handling characteristics, sounds, user-friendliness and more. If you’re interested in green vehicles, be sure to allow time in your Show schedule for the Ride-and-Drive.”

A variety of work trucks will be represented in the Ride-and-Drive, including cargo and service vans, pickup trucks, dump trucks, shuttle buses, walk-in vans, tree-trimming trucks, utility trucks, box trucks, cutaways and more. The Ride-and-Drive is sponsored by Hino Trucks. The companies providing vehicles for the Ride-and-Drive are:

•Altec Industries (stationary demonstration)
•BAE Systems
•Cummins Crosspoint
•Electric Vehicles International
•Freightliner Custom Chassis Corporation
•Freightliner Trucks
•Hino Trucks
•IMPCO Automotive
•International Truck
•Isuzu Commercial Truck of America
•Kenworth Truck Co
•Knapheide Manufacturing Company (The)
•Leggett & Platt Commercial Vehicle Products
•Lightning Hybrids
•Motiv Power Systems
•Peterbilt Motors Company
•Propane Education & Research Council (PERC)
•Ram Trucks
•Reading Truck Body
•Roush CleanTech
•Smith Electric Vehicles

Access to the Green Truck Ride-and-Drive is included with Work Truck Show registration. Attendees sign up on the Show floor for the vehicles they want to drive on a first-come, first-served basis. A CDL is required in order to drive a few of the vehicles. (Attendees without a CDL are welcome to ride in these vehicles as they are driven by manufacturers’ representatives.) The Ride-and-Drive course covers city streets to provide a realistic driving experience.

Complete vehicle descriptions will be available online in January. Visit www.ntea.com/worktruckshow/greenproductsandprograms to learn more about the Green Truck Ride-and-Drive, Green Truck Summit and other Work Truck Show 2012 green products and programs.

To register for The Work Truck Show 2012, visit www.ntea.com or call 1-800-441-NTEA (6832).

Produced annually by NTEA, The Work Truck Show showcases more than 500,000 square feet of Class 1-8 vocational trucks and equipment. It brings together thousands of work truck professionals, including fleet managers, equipment buyers, maintenance personnel, manufacturers, distributors and dealers.

Established in 1964, NTEA, the Association for the Work Truck Industry, represents nearly 1,600 companies that manufacture, distribute, install, sell and repair commercial trucks, truck bodies, truck equipment, trailers and accessories. Buyers of work trucks and the major commercial truck chassis manufacturers also belong to the Association. NTEA provides in-depth technical information, education, and member programs and services, and produces The Work Truck Show. The Association maintains its administrative headquarters in suburban Detroit and a government relations office in Washington, DC.

1/14/12

Knapheide's E-Coating System Explained


An overview of Knapheide's automotive quality, electrodeposition prime paint and finishing system. See more about Knapheide Manufacturing and the quality and innovation that goes into every product at www.knapheide.com

1/13/12

Secretary of Energy Dr. Steven Chu to Keynote Green Truck Summit at The Work Truck Show® 2012

FARMINGTON HILLS, MI (Dec. 28, 2011) — United States Secretary of Energy Dr. Steven Chu will give the keynote address at the 2012 Green Truck Summit on Monday, March 5. The Green Truck Summit is held March 5-6, 2012, in conjunction with The Work Truck Show® 2012 at the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis. The Work Truck Show, North America’s largest work truck event, runs March 6-8.

Dr. Chu is a distinguished scientist and co-winner of the 1997 Nobel Prize for Physics. As United States Secretary of Energy, he is charged with helping implement President Barack Obama’s ambitious agenda to invest in clean energy, reduce U.S. dependence on foreign oil, address the global climate crisis and create millions of new jobs.

In announcing Dr. Chu’s selection as Secretary of Energy, President Obama said: “The future of our economy and national security is inextricably linked to one challenge: energy. Steven has blazed new trails as a scientist, teacher and administrator, and has recently led the Berkeley National Laboratory in pursuit of new alternative and renewable energies. He is uniquely suited to be our next Secretary of Energy as we make this pursuit a guiding purpose of the Department of Energy, as well as a national mission.” Dr. Chu was sworn into office on Jan. 21, 2009.

The Green Truck Summit is considered the leading educational forum on “green” technology and initiatives for the commercial truck industry. Jointly produced by NTEA and CALSTART, the Summit includes 29 educational sessions. Sessions showcase new technology and provide information on reducing fuel consumption, improving fleet management, comparing clean technology options, funding clean vehicles and more. A complete Green Truck Summit schedule is available online at www.ntea.com/greentrucksummit/schedule.

Green Truck Summit registration includes admission to the NTEA’s Work Truck Show and its more than 500,000 square feet of the newest Class 1-8 chassis, bodies, equipment and components from 550-plus exhibiting companies. Green technology is featured throughout the show, including exhibits in the CALSTART Clean Technologies and Fuels Pavilion. In addition, exhibitors with products that improve fuel utilization, are environmentally friendly, use recycled materials and/or support environmentally sustainable practices are highlighted as part of the Green Product Showcase. A free Green Truck Ride-and-Drive on March 6-7 offers Work Truck Show attendees the opportunity to drive 21 vehicles that utilize environmentally friendly drive systems, including CNG, propane, battery-electric, extended range electric, ultra-clean biodiesel, bi-fuel CNG, electric hybrids (series and parallel), and hydraulic hybrids. For more information, visit www.ntea.com/worktruckshow/greenproductsandprograms/.

Register for the Green Truck Summit and the Work Truck Show at www.ntea.com or call 1-800-441-NTEA (6832).

About the NTEAEstablished in 1964, NTEA, the Association for the Work Truck Industry, represents nearly 1,600 companies that manufacture, distribute, install, sell and repair commercial trucks, truck bodies, truck equipment, trailers and accessories. Buyers of work trucks and the major commercial truck chassis manufacturers also belong to the Association. NTEA provides in-depth technical information, education, and member programs and services, and produces The Work Truck Show. The Association maintains its administrative headquarters in suburban Detroit and a government relations office in Washington, DC.

About CALSTARTCALSTART is North America’s leading advanced transportation technologies consortium. The organization, with more than 150 member companies, serves as a catalyst for creating jobs, cleaning the air, reducing fuel consumption and mitigating the threat of climate change. For more information, visit http://www.calstart.org/.

1/12/12

Work Truck Show 2012 App Helps Navigate Sold Out Show Packed with New Products

FARMINGTON HILLS, MI (Jan. 11, 2012) — Booth space at The Work Truck Show® 2012 is sold out. More than 550 companies have reserved exhibit space at North America’s largest work truck event, held March 6-8, 2012, at the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis. More than 60 of these exhibitors have announced plans to introduce new work trucks, components and equipment at the Show. To help attendees maximize their time at the event, NTEA has released a new app for smart phones and devices including the iPhone, BlackBerry, Android and iPad.

Educational programming at the event, including the Green Truck Summit and more than 60 intensive educational sessions, begins March 5.

“The Work Truck Show is the one event where anyone who builds, buys or uses vocational trucks for any application can find the latest products, from the smallest latch to a full-size work truck,” says Frank Livas, NTEA convention chairman and president of Brake & Clutch, Inc. (Salem, MA). “I can’t wait to see what our industry’s innovative companies have come up with this year!”

The new Work Truck Show app, available for most mobile devices, enables users to access the Show floor plan, browse educational sessions, view and schedule appointments, and find exhibitors that are featuring products in the New Product Spotlight and Green Product Showcase programs. To get it, scan the QR code at http://www.ntea.com/worktruckshow/index.aspx?id=25950 or visit www.guidebook.com/getit with a smart phone or device. Follow the prompts to download the Guidebook app. Then, open the app, select “Download Guides” and search for “The Work Truck Show.”

Some of the new products to be displayed at the Work Truck Show 2012 include:


ExhibitorProductBooth 
AireDockNon-idling (TSE) solution3885
Alan International Technology Ltd CoRoll-up door3273
Altec IndustriesTelescopic bucket truck2215
APSCO IncHoist valve for vehicles with electric PTOs4959
ASA / Voyager CamerasTouch screen stereo with camera capability3981
BAE SystemsParallel hybrid electric propulsion system5359
Chelsea Products Div of Parker870 Series PTO3011
Chevrolet & GMC Commercial Truck2012 cutaway vans with liquefied petroleum gas fuel system1829
Clean Seal IncDiesel Emissions Fluid (DEF) hose3010
Crysteel Manufacturing Inc.Aluminum dump bodies3328
Eberhard Manufacturing CoMulti-point, key-locking, grabber latch1425
EZ Connector IncWaterproof, self-sealing connectors4176
F. Barkow Inc.Custom truck bodies2431
FORCE America IncMobile resource management GPS telematics device2045
FRAS-LE North America IncBrake pads5776
Green Alternative SystemsAlternative fuel conversions5958
Hillsboro IndustriesAluminum truck bed3073
InterMotive Vehicle ControlsUpfitter interface module3464
International TruckVocational trucks4359
Iowa Mold Tooling Co IncThree hydraulically driven air compressors3345
Leggett & Platt Commercial Vehicle ProductsTrailer-mounted expandable work area3249
Leyman Lift GatesAluminum platform liftgate1718
Maxon Lift CorpLiftgate with two vertical cylinders; high-end liftgate1431
Meyer Products LLCSnow plow with bottom-trip edge1605
Miller IndustriesRoll-off system4992
Muncie Power ProductsGear pumps3029
Muncie Power ProductsHS24 Series PTO3030
Optronics InternationalWhite LED dome light5659
Orscheln Products, LLCElectronic shift actuator system5747
Power-Packer, IncMotion control solutions2201
PRO-VISION Video Systems2.0” Camera light3366
RAD Woodwork Co IncWhite Oak flooring5869
Reading Group, TheAluminum service van on Roush LPG chassis; new body5380
Ridewell SuspensionsDisc brake axle with Wabco air disc brakes1315
Roll-Rite LLCAutomated covering system for rolloffs2017
RSC Bio SolutionsBio-based industrial cleaners, lubricants and hydraulic fluids5860
Sage Oil Vac IncEnclosed lube truck4087
Sortimo North AmericaIn-vehicle equipment5087
SoundOff SignalLED lightbar4148
Tommy Gate CompanyMedium-duty railgate1419
TruckCraft CorpAluminum tow body3373
TUF-TUG ProductsSpare wheel stowage system4495
Vanair Manufacturing IncHydraulically driven all-in-one power systems, reciprocating compressors and remote start/stop system3759
Velvac IncCamera-based vision system3481
Venchurs Vehicle SystemsCNG trucks5975
Venco/Venturo/Ferrari Truck CranesDump hoist for Silverado & Sierra pickups1303
Weather Guard/KnaackVan platform1233
Westport LDNatural gas power system5491
Wilcox Bodies LtdAluminum body2035
Xantrex Technology Inc.Inverter/chargers1331

For a sneak peak at many of these products, use the Work Truck Show app or go online to www.ntea.com/worktruckshow/, select “Floor Plan” from the “About the Work Truck Show” drop-down menu, and then click on “Featured Exhibitors” to see a list of current participants. Click on a company name for more information about its new product(s).

Produced annually by NTEA, The Work Truck Show covers more than 500,000 square feet with Class 1-8 vocational trucks and equipment. It brings together thousands of work truck professionals, including fleet managers, equipment buyers, maintenance personnel, manufacturers, distributors and dealers.
To register, or for more information, visit www.ntea.com or call 1-800-441- 6832.

About NTEAEstablished in 1964, NTEA, the Association for the Work Truck Industry, represents more than 1,500 companies that manufacture, distribute, install, sell and repair commercial trucks, truck bodies, truck equipment, trailers and accessories. Buyers of work trucks and the major commercial truck chassis manufacturers also belong to the Association. NTEA provides in-depth technical information, education, and member programs and services, and produces The Work Truck Show. The Association maintains its administrative headquarters in suburban Detroit and a government relations office in Washington, DC.