Taking Care Of Business With An Animal Control Body

This is an animal control body by Harbor Truck Bodies. It is essentially a highly modified service body with various size compartments for different size animals, plenty of ventilation and temperature control, which is especially important in the heat of the sun during most of the year in Southern California where this unit is in use by the City of Fontana.

As you can see by the photographs, it has special doors, expanded metal and solid metal partitions, vented panels, through compartments for larger animals, interior lighting, special coolers and exhaust ventilators, strobe lights, all LED exterior lighting, and this also has a Tommy Gate 1,000 lb liftgate.

Yes, Harbor Truck does custom. Just give them a call to 800-433-9452 from anywhere in the USA and they will be happy to help you create the ultimate body for your needs. Also visit http://www.htbi.net/ to see a wide range of bodies that Harbor Truck Bodies manufactures or distributes.

Custom Flatbed With Scorpion by North Bay Truck Body

Here's a custom 10' flatbed built and mounted on a 2004 Freightliner regular cab with an 84" CA recently built by North Bay Truck Body, Fairfield CA.

It starts as a standard 10' flatbed with apitong hardwood floor and a 1/8" diamond plate steel overlay. To that North Bay has added six removable 8" stake rack sections using 1/4"x8" steel flatbar, 2 underbed 56" long boxes, one on each side. An LED Wanco 36"x72" power 90 degree arrow board has been added and North Bay installed the customers Scorpion crash attenuator.

Just another day at the ranch for North Bay. North Bay Truck Body LOVES custom flatbeds. They build them for helicopters even! Give Bob Dias or Kris a call at 707-864-2700. Visit their website at http://www.nbtb.com/.

Shortest Sales Strategy I've Heard And It Even Has Some Truth

I just watched a truly great movie and enjoyed it thoroughly. The acting is so well done it is over the top. The story line is fascinating. The casting was superb. The movie is called Get Low.

I want to share part of the dialogue in this film because it was so perfect in one short section on sales strategy, and throwing someone to the wolves at the same time. I can relate to it so well having started in the auto business at age 22 in 1972. It brought back memories, and yet, I see this going on today at dealerships and other businesses.

Felix Bush, played by Robert Duvall is the old guy everyone in four counties is afraid of and tells hundreds of stories about. Frank Quinn is the owner of Quinn Funeral Home and is played extremely well by Bill Murray. Buddy Robinson played by Lucas Black is the young upstart employee of Quinn Funeral Home.

Frank and Buddy drive out to Felix's place out in the woods and there is large no trespassing sign and Frank stops the hearse right there. It is the following dialogue that I found so interestingly true:

Frank to Buddy: (afraid to go any further and looking for a scapegoat) You've been wanting a shot at sales. As of right now, you're on commission. Remember, foot in the door, establish trust, and drop the hammer.

Buddy to Frank: I'd rather you go too.

Frank to Buddy: Hmmm. No doubt, but, if you don't do this by yourself, you'll never know if you're any good, and you'll never be good if you don't know that you are.

So Buddy goes in reluctantly and indeed, does a fine job of getting his foot in the door and establishing trust, and he doesn't drop the hammer. Instead, Felix gives him his exit by saying, "well, if I need you, I know who you are.

End of scene.

I just loved this because it is so true how so many get their break in sales. There is so little training. It is a task that requires trying, experimenting, and finding your own voice in. I've taught sales most of my life and I'm not convinced that there is really a better strategy than the one employed in this movie.

A.R.E. Partners with Strattec To Offer Bold One-Key Lock Technology On 2012 Model Deluxe Commercial Unit Truck Caps

MASSILLON, Ohio - Leading commercial truck cap manufacturer A.R.E. has partnered with STRATTEC(r) Security Corporation to provide the automotive supplier's BOLT(tm) one-key lock technology on its popular Deluxe Commercial Unit (DCU) truck caps.

A.R.E.'s DCU truck cap, which is made of fully welded aluminum frame construction, currently features STRATTEC automotive-grade lock cylinders in folding t-handles on all doors for added security. The BOLT lock systems within the cylinders are designed to permanently program themselves to the specific vehicle's ignition key, eliminating the need for multiple keys to operate the truck cap.

"One of the biggest problems that fleet managers have is drivers losing or breaking keys, which can result in unnecessary downtime, lost man hours and security issues," said Jim Blayne, Commercial/Fleet Division Sales Manager, A.R.E. "The benefit of the BOLT technology is that is saves commercial users time and money while offering one-key convenience for the entire vehicle, and A.R.E. is committed to working with industry partners and delivering these value-added innovations to our customers."

Here's how the technology works: When drivers insert their ignition key into the lock cylinder, spring-loaded plate tumblers move up and down until they are matched exactly to that key. The first time the key is rotated, the cylinder is uniquely coded to only that key. When the key is removed, the cylinder moves into the locked position. When the key is turned again, it will rotate to the unlocked position.

"Our patented design means that any number of locks in the BOLT series can be set to one key, allowing drivers to use their single ignition key to not only lock their vehicle, but their truck cap doors, toolboxes, trailer hitch locks and any other equipment professionals use on a daily basis," said STRATTEC Director of New Market Development Mike Long. "And because the locks feature automotive-grade security they offer higher quality, durability and corrosion resistance."

A.R.E. offers more than 100 options on its DCU truck cap to give fleet professionals the power to create a customizable solution for their trucks, choosing from a variety of door and window configurations, toolboxes, ladder racks, interior fabric liners, side panels and cap heights from 23 to 36 inches. In addition, A.R.E. provides organizational solutions, such as a full selection of plastic storage bins to hold small parts, tools, extension cords, nails and screws in the side compartments of the DCU. A.R.E. truck caps come with a three-year warranty on materials and workmanship.

The BOLT system will be standard later this summer on 2012 model year A.R.E. DCUs for domestic trucks (GM, Ford and Chrysler) only.



About A.R.E.

A.R.E. began manufacturing aluminum frame truck caps in 1969. Since then, the company has become a leading manufacturer of fiberglass truck caps and hard tonneau covers, ands boasts more than 500 employees at its ISO-9001:2008-certified manufacturing facilities. They have a network of more than 600 independent authorized dealers. For more information, contact A.R.E. at 400 Nave Rd. S.E., P.O. Box 1100, Massillon, OH 44648, email topline@4are.com or visit http://www.4are.com/.


About STRATTEC

STRATTEC Security Corporation is the world's largest manufacturer of automotive locks, keys and related access control products, and is the primary lock supplier to Ford, GM and Chrysler. STRATTEC's history in the automotive business spans 100 years. For more information on their BOLT technology, visit http://www.boltlock.com/ or contact Andy Larsen (BOLT Locks) at 414.840.0891.

Daimler Plans More Than 10,000 New Jobs Worldwide In 2011

• Direct recruitment of approximately 6,700 skilled workers and 700 graduates
• Approximately 4,000 new jobs in Germany alone
• Daimler invests in talent for the future: recruitment of 600 trainees and more than 200 students of the ‘Duale Hochschule’ – mainly in Germany
• Approximately 1,900 apprentices taken into permanent employment after passing final examinations
• Wilfried Porth, Daimler’s Board of Management Member for Human Resources and Labor Relations Director: “With a presence in nearly 200 countries, hardly any other German company is as international as Daimler. We are growing in many regions of the world and want to compete for the best personnel everywhere.”

Stuttgart Feb 24, 2011 – Daimler plans to recruit more than 10,000 people worldwide in 2011, thereof 4,000 in Germany alone. 6,700 skilled workers and approximately 700 graduates will be recruited directly all over the world. The Group is also focusing on gaining talent for the future: As well as taking on approximately 1,900 apprentices, Daimler is also offering positions for 600 trainees in its CAReer trainee program and for more than 200 students at the ‘Duale Hochschule’. Most of those positions will be offered in Germany.

“As the inventor of the automobile, we intend to be at the forefront of shaping the transformation of our industry. That’s why we are making enormous investment not only in research and development, but also in the recruitment and training of the best young talent and skilled workers. We can only deliver top performance with the help of a first-class workforce. Our human resources policy stands on two pillars: the continuous encouragement and support of young talent along with the recruitment of highly qualified skilled workers and graduates with work experience,” stated Wilfried Porth, Daimler’s Board of Management Member for Human Resources and Labor Relations Director.

“With a presence in nearly 200 countries, hardly any other German company is as international as Daimler. We are growing in many regions of the world and want to compete for the best personnel everywhere,” Porth continued.

The direct new recruitment of 6,700 skilled workers will take place worldwide, partially for the new or expanded plants in Hungary, India and Mexico. In the United States, 1,300 new employees will be recruited for the plants of Daimler Trucks North America.

In Germany, Daimler plans to take over approximately 1,900 apprentices when they have passed their final examinations.

In addition, approximately 700 engineers and informatics experts will be taken on in 2011 – for example in the Group’s departments for alternative drive systems, lightweight construction, driver assistance systems and worldwide IT management. More than half of this recruitment will be in Germany. Daimler is mainly seeking mechanical, electrical and informatics engineers for these positions.

Approximately 600 young people will be taken into the Group-wide trainee program, CAReer, thereof 500 in Germany. More than 65 percent of the recruitment for CAReer is in technical areas. During the program, university graduates and career starters with some work experience pass through a total of three national and international project deployments in various parts of the company.

Against the backdrop of ongoing technological changes in the automotive industry, recruitment for the engineering courses at the ‘Duale Hochschule’ has increased continuously in recent years. In 2011, probably more than 200 of those students will start work at Daimler. Daimler has been involved with great success in these university courses combining academic education with practical training since 1972, and was one of the founders of the so called Stuttgart Model, which was the predecessor of the former ‘Berufsakademie’ and today’s ‘Duale Hochschule’.

In addition to the new permanent jobs, approximately 1,800 apprentices will start their job training at Daimler in 2011. Daimler provides 37 percent of the apprenticeships of the German automobile manufacturers and trains young people in 21 technical and 13 commercial occupations. Daimler can look back on a tradition of more than 100 years in the field of occupational training.

As of December 31, 2010, the Daimler Group employed 260,100 people worldwide, thereof 164,000 in Germany. This was 3,700 more worldwide and 1,500 more in Germany than a year before. With regard to the overall workforce development in the

year 2011, Daimler assumes that the number of employees worldwide will increase slightly.

More information for job applicants and details of specific positions vacant can be accessed at www.career.daimler.com.

The Work Truck Show® 2011 to Feature Largest Ever Green Truck Ride-and-Drive Event Includes More Than 20 Hybrid and Alternative Fuel Trucks

The Green Truck Ride-and-Drive at The Work Truck Show® 2011 will be the largest in the event’s history, with 22 hybrid, alternative fuel (including pure electric), and high-efficiency diesel work trucks available for attendees to drive. Additional green commercial vehicles will provide equipment demonstrations in a stationary display area adjacent to the outdoor Ride-and-Drive course.

The Work Truck Show 2011 is held in conjunction with the 47th Annual National Truck Equipment Association (NTEA) Convention at the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis, IN. The Work Truck Show runs March 8-10, 2011, with educational programming starting March 7. The Green Truck Ride-and-Drive is open to all Show attendees on Tuesday, March 8, and Wednesday, March 9, from 12:00pm to 4:30pm.

The Green Truck Ride-and-Drive debuted at the Work Truck Show 2007. Thanks to the recent expansion of the Indiana Convention Center, the NTEA has enough space this year to meet the growing demand from manufacturers to showcase a record number of cutting-edge hybrid and alternative fuel work trucks in the Ride-and-Drive. Participating vehicles range from a compact electric van to a Class 8 truck fueled with compressed natural gas. Other vehicles will feature technologies such as electric, hydraulic, and plug-in hybrids. The Ride-and-Drive course covers city streets to provide a realistic driving experience.

“Driving the trucks in real-world conditions gives people a true feel for how the vehicles handle, how they drive, how user-friendly they are, and how transparent the green technology is to the operator,” explains Bob Johnson, NTEA fleet relations director. “Participants can see whether or not a vehicle requires any special driving techniques because of the green technology it uses. The Ride-and-Drive can really help clarify the differences, advantages and disadvantages of various green technology applications.”

Access to the Green Truck Ride-and-Drive is included free 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 some of the vehicles. The Ride-and-Drive is sponsored by Hino Trucks. See more information at www.ntea.com/worktruckshow/

See the Future of Work Trucks at the Green Truck Summit 2011

What will the work trucks of tomorrow look like? How will they use less fuel, produce fewer emissions and help their operators work more efficiently? Get a look into the future of work trucks at the Green Truck Summit, March 7-8, 2011, at the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis, IN.

The Green Truck Summit is the leading educational conference on green technology for vocational trucks, including utility, construction, delivery, landscaping and governmental vehicles. Produced by the National Truck Equipment Association (NTEA) and CALSTART, the Green Truck Summit is held in conjunction with The Work Truck Show® 2011 and 47th Annual NTEA Convention. The Work Truck Show runs March 8-10, 2011, and includes a Green Truck Ride-and-Drive.

At the Green Truck Summit, industry leaders provide insights into current green truck technology, as well as their vision for the future. There are 26 educational sessions, including “Moving Forward: Truck Technologies Leading Us to the Future,” “Planning for 2016 Fuel Efficiency Regulations: An OEM and Supplier Discussion,” and “A Sneak Peek at the Trucks of the Future.”

“The vocational truck industry is in an exciting period of evolution,” says Doyle Sumrall, NTEA senior director of business development. “Innovative manufacturers continue to develop new technology that can improve fuel utilization, reduce idling and lessen a fleet’s carbon footprint. Fleets and the businesses that help specify and equip their vehicles must understand how and when to use that technology to improve their operations and environmental impact. The Green Truck Summit is a unique opportunity to learn from technical experts and peers.”

For more information and to register for The Work Truck Show 2011 and Green Truck Summit, visit www.ntea.com or call 1-800-441-NTEA (6832).

What A Sweet Looking Crew Cab Ford w/Custom Harbor Body

Kimberly just sent these from Harbor Truck Bodies. What a sweet rig this is! Super nice Ford Crew Cab uplevel truck and then there is this black beauty of a body. . . but not just a plain old body, this one has some twists.

How many welders do you see rolling around in rigs like this? Yet that's what this ends up being, or at least functioning with the custom space for the welder machine. Then, notice that it has a closed top on the streetside where the welder opening is and an open top lid on the curbside. This also has tie downs in the floor and a spray on bedliner to make it so durable. But, it look so good just looking at it! We'll just pull up some lounge chairs, pass around some brewskies and admire this beauty!

Maybe Harbor could build you one too. Call Kimberly at 800-433-9452 and visit their website at http://www.htbi.net/.

West Coast Truck Equipments Delivers One Sweet Service Body

West Coast Truck Equipment in West Sacramento, CA recently completed a Knapheide 8' Service Body on a GM 56" CA single rear wheel chassis for our customer. This turned out to be a beautiful body and great combination of useful features. The Knapheide body includes the master locking system and a standard height Telescopic Sliding Roof, or cargo bed enclosure. This keeps the cargo in the bed area out of sight and protected from much of the weather.

Here is the Telescopic Sliding Roof (TSR) in the closed position. Notice also that it is lockable with the same keys as the rest of the body.

One of the best features is the BedSlide that is inside the bed area under the TSR. No more climbing in the bed area on those diamond plate dimples on your knee caps. No more. Just slide the BedSlide out and access the entire load even what would normally be at the very front area. The BedSlide can handle the load too, so no worries here. It has 3 locking positions, one all the way in, halfway out and all the way out. Typically, these will handle 1200 lbs of evenly distributed weight.

Here the TSR is open so you can see how it slides inward to expose the bed area. This allows you to carry tall items from time to time as needed.

Finally, here is the BedSlide at full extension. See how useful this entire setup is and how it makes getting to your cargo so much easier and keeping it all out of sight is a benefit, along with the Master Locking System that double locks all the compartments on the sides. The main use of the Master Locking System is convenience. Instead of unlocking and locking the side doors all day long as you need to get tools and parts for the jobs, you can leave the side doors unlocked and just lock the Master Lock on each compartment so there is only one lock to unlock. This requires a padlock, and Knapheide offers a great one manufactured by Bolt Lock by Strattec that is keyed to your OEM truck key. That makes it really convenient.

Give West Coast Truck Equipment a call at 916-376-0690 and visit their website at http://www.westcoasttruckequipment.com/.

We will talk about the rack in another post.

NTEA Work Truck Show Is North America's Largest Work Truck Event

The Must-Attend Event for the Work Truck Industry

The Work Truck Show, held in conjunction with the annual NTEA Convention, is the must-attend industry event featuring the newest products, more than 40 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.

Highlights from The Work Truck Show 2010

• 8,054 attendees
• 530 exhibitors and 80 product launches
• 118 media representatives
• 563 attendees at the Green Truck Summit (sold-out event)

This recap highlights the numerous ways The Work Truck Show can help you grow your company and industry knowledge.

• Product Launches and Innovations
• The 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
• Components, Parts and much more

The Green Truck Summit

Held 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 Initiatives

In 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

World-Class Industry Training

More than 40 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

To register, go to www.ntea.com/worktruckshow/

Rescue Body By Cascade Truck Body

Here's a rescue truck packaged and modified by Cascade Truck Body in Eugene, Oregon. The basis of the truck is a Harbor WorkMaster Body. Cascade Truck Body is a Harbor Truck Bodies Distributor. Contact them at 541-342-5317 and visit their website at http://www.cascadetruckbody.com/.

An Aerodynamic Lightweight Chipper For Victory Chevrolet

Sandy at Victory Chevrolet in Petaluma just received this light chipper body from Harbor Truck Bodies in Brea, CA for her customer. It sports two underbed boxes and receiver hitch, but what we find interesting is the aerodynamic design of the roof section. It reminds me of geometry class combining squares and triangles. 

TEDxTucson Jonathan Northover The Future of the Electric Vehicle

We had a stimulating night of great presenters, and this was one of the evening's highlights, as Jonathan is an excellent and engaging speaker. There are some obstacles to creating electric cars as everyone knows, and in this video we learn about some exciting innovations that will hopefully make these vehicles ubiquitous.

Jonathan Northover is an attorney who practiced corporate law for one of the world's top 5 law firms, Allen & Overy. Since his departure seven years ago, he has worked on capital defense cases, consulted for technology companies, and worked as an actor and playwright. He recently finished recording a voiceover project as a SIMs video game character and has therefore been able to focus on consulting in one of his areas of interest, the electric vehicle industry.

Chevrolet and GMC Offer Single-Source LPG Option for Cutaway Vans

DETROIT – General Motors will offer a liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) option for the 2012 Chevrolet Express and GMC Savana cutaway 3500 and 4500 vans. This new offering enables businesses to choose from 2,604 LPG fueling stations nationwide – a number that is expected to significantly increase.


“LPG infrastructure has progressed rapidly, so it’s easier for our customers to refuel in convenient locations across the country,” said Brian Small, general manager, GM Fleet and Commercial Operations. “When our customers order the LPG option, they’re getting a sensible fuel alternative, with the convenience of a one-stop ordering process.”

GM is the only manufacturer to provide a single-source LPG van option. GM’s manufacturing process enables customers to spend less time converting vehicles by using a one-stop-shop approach that delivers a vehicle with a complete LPG fuel system, which can then be upfitted to meet customer requirements.

GM selected Knapheide Manufacturing Co. to install two different LPG systems into the 159” wheelbase cutaway van. CleanFUEL USA and Bi-Phase Technologies serve as tier-two suppliers for the 49- and 75-gallon capacity LPG fuel system, respectively.

“Through GM’s unique manufacturing process, our fleet customers know they’re getting quality, reliability and convenience,” said Joyce Mattman, director, commercial product and specialty vehicles.

The vans come equipped with GM’s hardened Vortec 6.0L engine, and with this LPG offering, GM is the only automaker to offer four alternative fuel options for U.S. fleet customers: LPG, CNG, E85 ethanol and B20 biodiesel.

The vans will be produced at GM’s Wentzville, Mo., plant and transported to Knapheide’s nearby facility for fuel storage/delivery system installation. Upon completion, the vehicle is then sent to the upfitter chosen by the customer for body installation. The cutaways can be converted to various commercial, school bus, shuttle bus and RV requirements.

Chevrolet Express and GMC Savana LPG cutaway vans will be covered by GM’s three-year, 36,000-mile new vehicle limited warranty and five-year, 100,000-mile limited powertrain warranty and vehicle emissions warranty, meeting all Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and California Air Resources Board (CARB) emission certification requirements.

To find more information about the Chevrolet Express and GMC Savana, visit http://www.gmfleet.com/, or for fleet-related questions, join the GM Fleet and Commercial Customer Service LinkedIn group.

Harbor Truck Side Ladder Rack

Here's an example of a side ladder rack by Harbor Truck Bodies. It's out of the way, easy to load and unload and ladders can be securely transported. Call Harbor at 800-433-9452 for more information, and visit their website at http://www.htbi.net/.