INDIANAPOLIS. Ford announced updates to its broad commercial vehicle lineup and introduced programs dedicated to its fleet and commercial customers here at the 2017 National Truck Equipment Association (NTEA) Work Truck Show.
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...Read the rest of this storyPhoto of FTR cabovers courtesy of ICTA.
">Photo of FTR cabovers courtesy of ICTA.
">Isuzu Commercial Truck of America (ICTA) will begin production of its 2018 FTR Class 6 cabover in May and start taking orders for the medium-duty truck in April, the company announced at the Work Truck Show in Indianapolis.
Spartan Motors is assembling the 2018 FTR at its Charlotte, Mich., assembly plant that spans 85,000 square feet. The vehicle will retail for $82,180, the manufacturer announced.
"This truck's combination of low-cab-forward design and Class 6 GVWR gives it fantastic maneuverability and visibility along with the ability to carry more cargo than a conventional Class 6 truck," said Shaun Skinner, president of ICTA. "Its four-cylinder diesel engine is environmentally friendly and gives the truck outstanding fuel efficiency. Its class-leading warranty gives its owners peace of mind."
The FTR is powered by Isuzu's 4HK1-TC 5.2L turbocharged four-cylinder diesel engine that now carries a B-10 durability rating of 375,000 miles, meaning that 90% of engines should reach that odometer reading before needing an overhaul. When fitted in the FTR, the engine makes 215 hp and 520 lb.-ft. of torque at peak operation.
Isuzu pairs the engine with an Allison 2550 RDS 6-speed automatic transmission with power take-off (PTO) capability.
The front axle can take 12,000 pounds of capacity, while the rear axle is rated at 19,000 pounds. The GVWR is 25,950 pounds. The 11R22.5 tires are fitted to 22.5-inch steel wheels.
Users can add an available 50- or 100-gallon fuel tank depending on which wheelbase they choose. The truck is available in eight wheelbase lenghts from 152 to 248 inches. It can accommodate bodies from 14 to 30 feet.
Related: Isuzu Debuts 2018 Class 6 FTR Truck
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...Read the rest of this storyImage via report: Twin 33 Foot Truck Trailers: Making U.S. Freight Transport Safer and More Efficient
">Image via report: Twin 33 Foot Truck Trailers: Making U.S. Freight Transport Safer and More Efficient
">The Americans for Modern Transportation coalition released a new study finding that twin 33-foot trailers would boost safety and efficiency with widespread adoption.
The study, entitled Twin 33 Foot Truck Trailers: Making U.S. Freight Transport Safer and More Efficient, was conducted by Ronald Knipling, a 35-year traffic safety researcher. In it, Knipling found that twin 33s improved safety primarily through road stability and cutting down on the number of trucks on the road.
Because trailers often fill up before hitting the 80,000-pound limit, according to the study, by switching from twin 28-foot trailers to twin 33s, cargo volume could increase by 18.6% while still not needing to increase the maximum weight limit. This means that using twin 33s would require 15.7% fewer trucks and trailers to carry the same amount of cargo.
“Allowing widespread use of Twin 33 trailers is common sense policy. Not only are they more stable at highway speeds, the efficiency gains mean we have fewer trucks on the road,” said Knipling. “Fewer trucks means fewer accidents, less wear and tear on our roads, and more focused enforcement by weigh stations for all types of trucks. It's a win-win for drivers, consumers, businesses, and the economy.”
The study found that through a widespread adoption of Twin 33s, truck miles driven could have by reduced by as much as 3.1 billion miles and reduced the number of truck-involved accidents by 4,500 annually.
Fewer trucks on the road would also reduce fuel use, saving 255.2 million gallons of fuel and reducing carbon emissions by nearly 3 million tons. The effect of this reduction would be similar to taking 551,000 cars off of the road, according to the study.
Another positive change by switching to twin 33s was reduced ...Read the rest of this story
Cummins 2017 B6.7 engine has improved fuel economy.
" >Cummins 2017 B6.7 engine has improved fuel economy.
" width="300">Cummins announced improvements to its MidRange engine lineup for 2017 at the Work Truck Show in Indianapolis.
The MidRange lineup features engines ranging from the diesel V5.0, B6.7 and L9 to the Cummins Westport natural gas ISB6.7 G and ISL G Near Zero engines.
"Cummins announced our new MidRange engine platforms last year, but we haven't been resting on our laurels,” said Jeff Caldwell, executive director of North American Truck OEMs for Cummins.
B6.7Fuel economy improvements mean the B6.7 engine is seeing an average improvement of 8.5% on efficiency ratings and 5% on performance ratings over Cummins' EPA-2013 ISB6.7, says Cummins.
For some applications and duty cycles, specifically pickup and delivery, the efficiency ratings have demonstrated up to a 13% fuel economy improvement.
"The program started with a goal of delivering 7% better fuel economy on the efficiency ratings and 1% better fuel economy on the performance ratings over the 2013 product,” Caldwell said. “As the program progressed, we found opportunities to tune and optimize the engine, delivering further efficiency, and allowing us to surpass initial expectations."
Apart from base engine fuel economy enhancements, Cummins also has Stop-Start capability with the B6.7, which will provide additional fuel economy improvement from 3% to 15%. Stop-Start technology allows the engine to operate only when necessary, by shutting off the engine during idle.
The 2017 B6.7 also includes a longer warranty, a complete 3-year/unlimited-mile warranty in truck applications.
Cummins Westport Natural Gas EnginesNow in full production for bus, medium-duty truck and vocational applications are the ISB6.7 G and the ISL G Near Zero.
Based on the B Series diesel engine platform, the ISB6.7 G is Cummins Westport's most compact natural gas offering, according to Rob Neitzke, president of Cummins Westport.
Also available is the ISL G Near Zero, which has emissions certification from ...Read the rest of this story
