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MATS 2017 Photos: Day Two

HDT's editors share some of the sights from the massive event show floor on the second day of the 2017 Mid-America Trucking Show at the Kentucky Fair and Exhibition Center in Louisville, Ky.

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Heavy Duty Trucking Named Finalist for B2B Journalism Award

Image: HDT

Heavy Duty Trucking has been named a national finalist in the 2017 Azbee Awards of Excellence, which are awarded by the American Society for Business Publication Editors.

HDT was named a finalist for the four-part series on The Modern Maintenance Manager. The series examined what the trucking industry's most forward-looking maintenance and equipment executives are doing to hire and keep technicians, manage employees, increase efficiency and productivity, and meet other demands placed on the modern maintenance manager.

The series consisted of feature articles by editor in chief Deborah Lockridge, executive editor David Cullen, and technology contributing editor Jim Beach.

“While many articles in HDT and competitive magazines cover buying and maintaining trucks, we wanted to do something different,” remarked Lockridge. “We worked to pull together all the trends affecting truck maintenance and offer insight into how they affect the person responsible for a fleet's equipment needs -- and offer best practices to help others in this position be more successful.”

According to ASBPE, the Azbee Awards of Excellence program is “one of the most competitive there is for business-to-business, trade, association, and professional publications. The awards recognize outstanding work by magazines, newsletters, and digital media.”

The national winners will be announced May 18 at the 2017 ASBPE National Conference & Azbee Awards Banquet in St. Petersburg, Florida.

For more information on the Azbee awards, click here.

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Pirelli Showcases U.S. Commercial Tire Lineup

Photo: Pirelli

LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY - Following its announcement last year that it would enter the commercial truck tire market here, Pirelli is showing its commercial tire product lineup here at the Mid-America Trucking Show.

Under the TP Commercial Solutions entity, Pirelli is launching sales and marketing of the Pirelli brand of radial truck tires, agricultural tires, and off-the-road tires along with the Formula brand in the U.S. and Canada. TP Commercial Solutions is based in Rome, Ga., and supplies commercial truck tires and fleet solutions under the Pirelli brand to the global market.

“We are excited to announce at MATS that we have the start of a solid product lineup now available for sale – and most importantly, all of these products uphold Pirelli's iconic brand values and quality after exhaustive testing on our end in this market,” said Clif Armstrong, president of TP Commercial Solutions.

Before launching its product line, Pirelli said its tires underwent extensive research and development and testing with multiple fleets in multiple applications to meet the needs of the U.S. market.

The products being shown include:

Pentathlon D – A long-haul drive tire that is SmartWay-verified, offering fleets high mileage, fuel savings, and low emission benefits. Pentathlon will be the name of the long- haul Pirelli product family in the U.S. and Canada. Pentathlon D will be the first to launch and as the name implies, this tire has five distinct areas that distinguish it – high mileage, energy efficiency, even wear, high traction and high retreadability. Incorporating a dual layer tread compound for long lasting performance, a special undertread compound to equal low rolling resistance and fuel consumption, an optimized pattern geometry and 3SB belt evolution for durable, even wear; a directional tread pattern for excellent grip on wet and dry, and finally, Pirelli's Spiral Advanced Technology for ...Read the rest of this story

Peterbilt’s Chassis Routings Improve Serviceability

Photo: Peterbilt

Peterbilt has implemented newly engineered routings in all configurations of the Models 579 and 567 as well as in the Model 389 to enhance serviceability across product lines.

The engineered routings bundle each system-- air, fuel, and electrical-- separately, to allow easier identification and service by technicians. These routing enhancements are standard with orders specifying 2017 emissions engines.

“Thanks to the innovative features of the engineered chassis routings, Peterbilt customers will enjoy enhanced ease of repair and maintenance,” said Scott Newhouse, Peterbilt chief engineer. “Peterbilt has taken great strides to improve product quality with the implementation of the engineered routings, which provide consistent manufacturability, improved product quality and improved serviceability.”

Peterbilt also announced the introduction of the Paccar Engine Pre-Owned Warranty for Peterbilt Red Oval-certified truck customers.The warranty is offered and administered through Peterbilt dealers and Paccar Financial USed Truck Centers, providing protection for the MX engine and aftertreatment system for one year and 125,000 miles and a 90-day buyer assurance plan covering major chassis components.

Peterbilt Red Oval Certified vehicles pass a comprehensive 150-point factory certified inspection performed by factory-trained service technicians. All Red Oval certified trucks are reconditioned and serviced, including DPF cleaning and an oil and filter change. Additionally, every Red Oval truck is DOT-certified.

“With the Paccar Engine Pre-Owned Warranty, Peterbilt further enhances the Red Oval certified program,” said Robert Woodall, Peterbilt assistant general manager of sales and marketing. “Buyers of Red Oval certified trucks benefit from additional assurance of the MX engines' proven durability and reliability.”

Related: Peterbilt Model 579 Updates Aimed at Fuel Economy

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