THE RIGHT TOOLS

FI R S T
CLASS
WINTER 2014
Volume 34 Number 3
THE RIGHT
TOOLS
New Model 567s
fuel rapid growth
at Brady Trucking 14
Message to Drivers:
“You Matter!” 6
Medium Duty
Made Easy 18
FI R S T
CLASS
6
“You Matter!”
New Model 579s help Groendyke retain drivers
11
Targeting 10 MPG
EPIQ package maximizes fuel economy
14
The Right Tools
Model 567s fuel rapid growth at Brady Trucking
18
Medium Duty Made Easy
Experts discuss applications, specs
Trucks, truckers and Peterbilt enthusiasts gathered
in Stockton, Calif., in October for the Peterbilt 75th
Anniversary Show, organized by Rick McClerkin
who is pictured on the opposite page with Kathy
Cantaloube. For more on this celebration of
Peterbilt’s history, see page 20. Photos courtesy of
Roger Snider, Tim Ahlborn and Rick McClerkin.
20
75th Anniversary Show
“Impressive beyond words,” says organizer
21
Peterbilt News
New anti-theft system available
FIND US ON:
Congratulations on 75 years
of class and innovation!
Spec’d for the Job
Eaton® UltraShift®PLUS Series Transmission
and Peterbilt Vocational Model 567
Like the new Peterbilt model 567, an UltraShift PLUS Series
automated transmission gives you the versatility that best meets
your needs. For example, in highway construction and dump
operations, it is designed with deep reduction and fast, flexible
reverse gearing.
4
The patented shift logic and controls
within every UltraShift PLUS constantly
adapt based on changes in weight of
load, grade, and power, making adjustments to maximize efficiency.
4
Multiple models offer
application-specific
performance and economy:
from 10- to 18-speeds and
up to unlimited GCVW.
Customizable intelligent
software to match your
vocational and performance
needs.
4
Safety features include hill
start aid and auto neutral.
4
Delivers more time on the
road thanks to Roadranger
support, the largest national
network of drivetrain experts
and service technicians.
4
Visit UltraShiftPLUS.com
for more information.
Ask your Peterbilt
representative which
UltraShift PLUS transmission
works best in your 567.
BACKED BY
SUPPORT
Matters of Fact
B
y now you’ve all heard various takes on the driver shortage facing the
trucking industry. It’s a top-of-mind discussion point among the many
Peterbilt customers I visit.
The recent narrative has shifted, however.
“It’s not about recruiting for us — it’s retention,” says Greg Hodgen, the
president of Groendyke (page 6). “You look at the driver we employ today.
You lose that skill level, that experience level, and it’s costly. So we are really
interested in doing all the things we can do to make sure that driver has a
satisfying work life.”
Hodgen’s message to his drivers? “You matter.” And he reports that a
primary
tool to convince his drivers they matter is a Peterbilt Model 579.
Darrin Siver
General Manager
Peterbilt engineers, quite literally, designed the Model 579 cab around the
driver. It is a spacious, ergonomic work environment designed to minimize
driver fatigue, improve visibility and enhance safety. The ride is second to none.
An enhanced driver display package is easy to read. An advanced forward
lighting system offers new levels of nighttime visibility. And its drivers enjoy
heightened image and prestige among their peers.
For fleet owners and managers, the innovative, fuel-saving
“Indeed, the bottom line
aerodynamic design of the Model 579, further complemented by
matters. But it won’t the EPIQ aerodynamic fuel efficiency package, helps realize bottom
matter much without the line improvements as well. Hodgen, in fact, also reports a payload
person behind the wheel.” improvement of about 1,000 lbs. with his new Peterbilts.
Indeed, the bottom line matters. But it won’t matter much
without the person behind the wheel. Just ask Larry Brady, owner of Brady
Trucking (page 14).
“We need the best people operating the best equipment to provide the level
of service our customer base demands,” says the president of the firm that
bears his name. “I wouldn’t be where I am today without these people, and
operating the best equipment helps keep them here.”
Let Peterbilt be an important factor in your success as well.
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FIRST CLASS l 5
GROENDYKE
New Peterbilts help Groendyke deliver message to drivers
“You Matter!”
Greg Hodgen is president of Groendyke,
a 1,000-power-unit tank hauler headquartered in Enid, Okla.
With a fleet that size, the retention of
quality drivers is high on Hodgen’s list of
priorities. But it’s not just their availability
that concerns Hodgen. He wants to know
how his drivers perceive themselves.
“A big part of our message to our drivers is how important they are, and I don’t
mean just as revenue generators,” says
Hodgen. “I mean as professionals, and
how proud they should be of the work they
do. It’s essential to everyday living in the
United States. I know this sounds corny,
but these are people who sometimes just
need to be told how much they matter to
their communities, to the United States
and its economy. They need to hear that.”
6 l FIRST CLASS
Hodgen clearly holds the driver in
high esteem, and he calls the Groendyke
company drivers “the best in the country.” And in the tank business, particularly the fuel, asphalt, acids, chemical
and liquid hazardous materials in which
Groendyke engages, an even greater premium is placed on retaining drivers who
have the necessary advanced skill set.
It’s, in part, a big reason that Peterbilt
Model 579s made their debut in the
Groendyke fleet last spring.
“It’s not about recruiting for us — it’s
retention,” says Hodgen. “You look at
the driver we employ today. You lose
that skill level, that experience level, and
it’s costly. So we are really interested in
doing all the things we can do to make
sure that driver has a satisfying work life.
“As we looked more closely at it, we saw
that Peterbilt trucks could play a major part
in helping us achieve maximum retention.”
Beside helping him retain drivers,
Hodgen is learning that Peterbilts also offer
lower operating costs and higher profitability. And he’s finding some interesting
parallels in the Groendyke and Peterbilt
story lines that link the companies as well.
Recent milestones
Like Peterbilt, which celebrates its
75th anniversary this year, Groendyke
recently achieved the same milestone.
Whereas Al Peterman started Peterbilt
to build the trucks he designed for his
logging operations, Harold Groendyke
built his own tank trailers for his fledgling
kerosene hauling operations.
A diverse lineup of Peterbilt trucks
were soon hauling all sorts of materials,
as was the equally diverse and growing
Groendyke fleet of equipment.
“Harold Groendyke was a real pioneer and innovator in the industry,” says
Hodgen. “There are many tank designs in
the industry that can be traced back to
his influence.”
The company grew steadily over the
years, both in services provided by its tank
operations and in geographic range, which
grew by acquiring authority from other haulers. By the time Hodgen joined the firm as
a shop technician in 1990, Groendyke was
a $91 million operation. Last year, it turned
$240 million, with refined fuels, chemicals
and asphalt making up approximate thirds
of their revenue totals.
Clearly, Hodgen has his eye on the
bottom line. But he also has an eye on
broader issues facing Groendyke and the
industry as a whole.
“Our number one value here — and it’s a
value, not a priority because priorities change
— is safety, so we look very closely at our
trucks and how they are equipped,” Hodgen
says. “Our customer has a right to expect and
the public has a right to expect that we have a
highly skilled driver operating that truck. We
are the professionals, after all.”
Groendyke’s new purchases are
equipped with roll stability systems as
well as collision avoidance technology.
And the Model 579, with maximized
visibility from the driver’s seat, “fit in with
what we’re trying to achieve,” according
to Hodgen, whose company has earned
six prestigious Heil Awards, given annually for North America achievement in tank
truck safety.
Other Peterbilt features also “fit in”
well at Groendyke. Hodgen reports that
the Model 579 day cab runs up to 1,000
lbs. lighter than some of their other
equipment.
“So instead of 53,000 lbs. we’re
hauling 54,” he says. “That’s every load.
The Peterbilt Model 579 made its debut in the Groendyke fleet last spring.
FIRST CLASS l 7
Tank haulers face unique fuel economy challenges, but Groendyke personnel
feel the Model 579 will bring fuel economy improvements.
Put 100 or more extra gallons of cargo
in that tank, six times a day, 325 days a
year. It adds up.
“And then you think about how congested some of our highways are. If you
can deliver the same amount of product
with fewer trucks on the road, saving
weight like these Peterbilts do is really a
green initiative.”
Saving fuel is another green initiative
that has Hodgen’s attention. While some
in the tank industry discount the fuel-saving potential of aerodynamic design such
as that found on the Model 579, Hodgen
will take any edge he can get.
8 l FIRST CLASS
“It’s different for us with all these
pipes and the swing length we need,
but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t be
interested in what aerodynamic designs
can do for tanks. The EPIQ package
(page 11) is intriguing and some of those
things will work for us. If we can make
even a small fuel economy improvement,
it’s a win.”
Such “wins” help overcome the perception that only traditional conventionals make sense in a tank fleet.
“You know, you think about the long
hoods and the big air cleaners and there
was just this image of what a truck should
look like. But the image of what a big
truck should look like is changing.
“Truckers are capable of change,” he
adds with a grin. “Sometimes it just takes
us a little while.”
What is also on the verge of changing
is the presence of Peterbilts in the fleet,
which Hodgen says will likely be growing
significantly.
“It’s a human business. Trucks are
important, but your people are absolutely vital to your success. If Peterbilt trucks
help us keep our best people, they’ll continue to be an important factor in our
success.” FC
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EPIQ
Targeting
Targeting
10
MPG
MPG
Peterbilt’s EPIQ package, a combination of specifications and purpose-built features designed to maximize fuel economy, may be new
to customers, but it’s been years in the making.
In fact, many of the concepts employed by the EPIQ package were
developed when Peterbilt engineers first started working, in 2010, on
the SuperTruck program, a four-year-long Department of Energy initiative designed to improve long-haul freight efficiency.
The key to success, according to Peterbilt engineers, was a matter
of perspective. SuperTruck allowed them to look at fuel economy as
if it were almost the only performance feature that mattered.
“SuperTruck gave us the opportunity to try a lot of ideas
we hadn’t allowed ourselves to consider before, for various operational or production reasons,” says Jeff Smith,
an engineer with the Peterbilt Aerodynamic Analysis
Engineering Group. “Those ideas really became the origin
of the EPIQ package.”
EPIQ package grew from the
SuperTruck program
FIRST CLASS l 11
“We took a kitchen-sink approach
to SuperTruck,” adds Ken Damon, the
SuperTruck program manager and presently in charge of Vehicle Performance
Engineering Analysis. “We went in determined to fix everything we knew that
impeded the achievement of maximum
fuel economy.”
The new EPIQ package figures to help
push operators ever-closer to the elusive
10 mpg threshold in some applications.
The package is designed specifically for
the Model 579 and removes specification
challenges for customers seeking to achieve
maximum fuel economy, while still giving
consideration to variables ranging from
application nuances to driver performance.
“So many factors go into the fuel
leader in fuel efficiency, performance and
reliability, making it an optimum component of the EPIQ package,” says Sproull.
“The MX-13 delivers improved fuel economy through electronically controlled
fuel injection pumps and high-pressure
rail technology.”
The MX-13’s drivetrain partner is the
Fuller Advantage Automated Transmission.
The optimized pairing is designated as
APEX and features precise communication
between the engine and the transmission,
as well as proprietary control logic to further enhance fuel economy.
“This exclusive, enhanced drivetrain is
developed to deliver fully integrated powertrain performance and superior fuel
efficiency,” says Sproull.
1
1
BRIDGE
“We went in determined to fix everythingg we knew
that impeded the achievement
of maximum fuel economy.”
economy equation,” says Smith. “How
you drive, idle time, the loads you haul.
It’s important that we understand the
customer’s business. Doing so allows us
to be involved in predictive fuel economy analysis, not reactive fuel economy
analysis.
“It’s a big difference, and the result is
very advantageous to the customer on the
front end of the ordering process.”
The EPIQ package offers detailed aerodynamic refinements and other features,
but the formula starts with an enhanced
drivetrain, according to engineers.
PACCAR MX-13, APEX
The PACCAR MX-13 engine was an
easy choice for the EPIQ package, according to Chief Engineer Landon Sproull.
“The MX-13 was already an industry
12 l FIRST CLASSCLASS
Complete Aerodynamic Package
Reducing aerodynamic drag of a
Class 8 tractor and trailer is in large part
a matter of “sealing the gaps,” according
to engineers. And the biggest one is the
trailer gap.
“That’s such a challenge because you
can’t get away from the need for some
kind of gap back there for turning radius and swing clearance, but that gap
hurts you in any kind of crosswind,” says
Smith. “Going straight, no wind, you’re
fine, but in a yaw condition with the truck
off axis, that’s when you’re going to develop some drag.”
Engineering’s response was 18-inch
sleeper side extenders with 8-inch rubber
flares and roof fairings with an exclusive
rear wall closeout. The roof fairing has an
arc-shaped cutout to provide maximum
Closes the cabtrailer gap; arc
design allows swing
clearance.
gap closure while still allowing necessary
swing clearance for a standard dry van.
“Our side extenders are uncommonly
long, but that’s the idea — to create a
ball and socket where the nose of the
trailer could fit up into the extenders
and the bridge (roof) fairing,” says Steve
Polansky, Senior Project Engineer. “Air
jumps the gap between the sleeper and
trailer in this configuration, even in severe
crosswinds.”
Full chassis fairings are designed to
direct airflow around the trailer and
off the drive tires. These are also flared
toward the rear of the chassis.
“The design there helps kick the air
out so it flows around the trailer and drive
tires,” says Smith. “Plus it allows an easier
step for the customer over the drive axle.”
A new bumper dam also directs air
4
6
2
5
6
3
2
3
CLOSEOUT
Rubber fitted to
small gap helps
maximize aerodynamic performance.
4
5
6
BUMPER
DAM
WHEEL
CLOSEOUT
CHASSIS
FAIRING
Directs air away
from vehicle
underbody.
Reduces aero drag,
especially in crosswind.
Directs airflow off
the drive tire.
flow around the vehicle, and with minimal ground clearance, it helps keep air
from the truck’s underbody which is a
major source of aerodynamic drag.
“We want air moving around the vehicle, not into the underbody where it will be
absorbed,” says Smith. “And the ground
clearance was something we experimented
with on SuperTruck. We used to live with
certain commitments to curb clearance
and that we had to have a certain open
angle from the contact edge of the tire to
the tangent edge of the bumper.
“But we took a new view of ground
clearance here and brought the dam lower.
Sure, we scraped one once in a while but
bumper failure didn’t occur nearly at the
rate we imagined it would. So we made the
bumper robust enough to absorb some
contact, but easily replaceable as well.
“And if a customer says, ‘That ground
clearance just isn’t going to work for me,’
they can get the package without the
bumper dam.”
Also in the bumper and throughout
the fairings, rubber closeouts — or fills in
the much smaller gaps often found on
a vehicle — help maximize aerodynamic
performance.
“We paid a lot of attention to sealing
these gaps, and any additional leak paths
or projected air flows,” says Damon.
“Once air enters the underbody it’s just
getting dragged along and that becomes
a portion of the drag. It’s all cumulative.”
Additional features
Front tire wells also get special treatment with the EPIQ package. Tire wells are
designed to accommodate a variety of tire
EXTENDERS
“Uncommonly
long” extenders
minimize cabtrailer gap.
sizes, but given that the EPIQ spec requires
a specifically sized tire, a stylistically designed
closeout provides a custom fit and minimizes drag-producing wheel well exposure.
Additionally, the EPIQ spec employs
an aerodynamically designed battery
box, a single-horizontal exhaust position,
the SmarTire Tire Pressure Monitoring
System, low rolling resistance tires and
optimized spec’ing software, which helps
ensure most efficient rear axle ratios and
engine settings for EPIQ customers.
“We’re always looking for opportunities to improve fuel economy across the
product line,” says Sproull. “In this case,
our experience with SuperTruck allowed
us to bring these fuel-saving enhancements to our customers as quickly as
possible.” FC
FIRST CLASS l 13
BRADY TRUCKING
New Model 567s fuel rapid growth
at Brady Trucking
AT RIGHT A Model 567
hauls a load acros the
valley for Brady Trucking.
ABOVE From left, Chuck
Johnson, Larry Brady and
Guy Kidd — along with
Brady’s dog Muttley —
lead the Brady team.
14 l FIRST CLASS
Larry Brady sits behind a desk more than
he sits behind a wheel these days.
That’s because Brady Trucking, a rapidly growing 200-truck operation headquartered in Vernal, Utah, requires his
management more than his driving skills.
But make no mistake about it, the
man’s a trucker to the bone. So much
so that when he infused 60 new Peterbilt
Model 567s into the fleet’s oilfield operations, Brady ordered one for himself.
“I don’t have to drive every day, but I
still wanted one,” he says. “So I decided if
I’m going to drive at all, it’s going to be one
of these. It’s just such a driver-friendly truck.
And the MX-13 Engine is the smoothest,
quietest engine I’ve ever been around.”
For Brady, the attachment to
Peterbilt’s new vocational specialist is
no surprise. He cites Peterbilt ownership
— along with the recognition that he
couldn’t grow the firm on his own — as
a key reason his company has sprung
from a single-truck operation as recently
as 1998 to the booming firm it is today.
Service differentiation
Brady went to work as an owner-operator in 1980, hauling mostly belly dump
trailers but generally doing whatever he
could to survive in a challenging environment for independent truckers.
“I then proceeded to make every mistake in the book,” he says. “For one, I was
driving junk, but I learned early on that
you need a truck that is built right, fixed
right and will run right.”
That lesson put Brady in his first new
Peterbilt in 1988. Ten years later, he
was making a living in the oilpatch in a
Peterbilt, but still a one-man operation.
“I just never thought I’d own more
than one truck,” he says.
But Brady then recognized that his
level of service and the reliability of his
equipment — especially in an application
that demands performance and reliability — was generating a demand that
he couldn’t meet by himself. He began
leasing owner-operators, and soon was
buying his own Peterbilt equipment and
hiring drivers.
“The business just took off,” he says.
“We were just trying to keep up with our
customers’ demands. And it’s just against
my nature to turn down a paying job.”
Within a few years the Brady fleet was
up to 40 trucks.
“I really had to make some decisions
then about how to go forward,” Brady
says. “I have my strong points but I’m
not the guy to handle some situations.
I needed a right-hand man to take this
thing any further.”
Building with
The Right Tools
FIRST CLASS l 15
Brady hired Chuck Johnson to help
direct operations in 2006. Additionally,
he continued to employ what he described
as the best drivers in the business, drawn
by a premium pay package and premium
Peterbilt equipment.
“I’ve never been the low-cost provider
out there,” he says. “We need the best
people operating the best equipment to
provide the level of service our customer
base demands. Larry Brady wouldn’t be
where he is today without these people,
and operating the best equipment helps
keep them here.”
Growing reach
Brady’s geographic base began
expanding as well, with locations in New
Mexico, Colorado, North Dakota and
Illinois, each set up to deliver premium
service with a premium Peterbilt fleet.
The Williston, N.D., working environment is not only particularly demanding,
it’s dirty as well. Brady helps brand his
service by regularly cleaning his Peterbilt
equipment. While it may not sound like
much of a point of differentiation, it is in
Williston, according to Brady.
“Wash bays are expensive, but they’re
worth it,” he says. “I want my Peterbilts
clean. And you ask yourself, if you’re a
driver, ‘Do I want to operate one of those
clean Model 567s, or what I’m in now?’”
So when Brady says the Model 567s
“really shine in the field,” he means it
both literally and figuratively.
“The reliability has been there,” he
says. “And these Model 567s with the
MX-13 engines have been getting more
than a half mile-per-gallon better than
previous combinations we’ve used.
“And the drivers love them. The turning radius is excellent, you get great visibility from the cab and they’re roomy.”
Fleet Manager Guy Kidd feared initial
blowback from a driver set that had long
favored long hoods and straight lines.
“We worry a lot about driver acceptance and I’ll tell you the truth, we
thought these would take a little getting
used to,” says Kidd. “But, man, they took
right to these Model 567s. They love the
comfort.”
Brady says he could pick up business
that would merit the addition of 100
trucks and drivers “just if we’d answer
the phone.” He jokes to some degree,
but Johnson says another fleet double-up
could very well be in the cards.
“It’s part of our global corporate
strategy to differentiate ourselves every
way we can from the competition, and
that applies to the competitive battles we
face for customers, employees and drivers,” says Johnson. “Larry Brady has done
a great job building this team and these
facilities to get it done.
“And with Peterbilt and its dealer
organization supplying us with the right
tools for the tasks at hand? That’s huge
for us.” FC
“You ask yourself, if you’re a driver, ‘Do I want to operate one
of those clean Model 567s, or what I’m in now?’”
— Larry Brady
16 l FIRST CLASS
Happy 75th
Anniversary,
Peterbilt!
Peterbilt trucks feature the powerful PACCAR MX
Engine that is factory FILLED with Chevron’s
Delo® 400 XLE Synblend 10W-30. PACCAR’s MX Engine
offers the on-road truck industry’s longest OEM
recommended oil change interval of 60,000 miles, and
best engine longevity at B10 life rating.
Delo 400 XLE Synblend
SAE 10W-30 with
ISOSYN® Technology
enables Peterbilt to offer
their customers superb
fuel economy performance
with no loss of engine
durability or extended oil
drain interval performance.
®
Let’s go further.
®
FEATURE ARTICLE
Medium Duty
Made Easy
Peterbilt provides solution for
multiple medium-duty needs
Model 220 Cabover
The typical Class 8 fleet owner/manager has a firm
handle on exactly what he’s putting on the road,
whether it’s wheelbase, horsepower or gear ratio.
The typical medium-duty fleet owner/manager?
Maybe not so much.
“For example, he owns a liquor distribution business, or he runs a landscaping company,” says Scott
Chowaniec, Peterbilt’s National Medium-Duty Sales
Director. “Trucks aren’t their business, but they need
trucks to do what they do in their respective businesses.
“What they need is a partner who can educate
them about what they need specifically in a truck, and
help them understand why they need it. And that partner also has to maintain that truck while the owner/
fleet manager is out running their business or at home
eating dinner.
“It’s a little different in the medium-duty market
segments. But Peterbilt has uniquely positioned itself
among the competition to meet the specific needs of
any medium-duty customer.”
“What they need is a partner who can educate them
about what they need specifically in a truck.”
Peterbilt’s versatile medium-duty product line has
evolved recently to fit an ever growing array of customer
requests. Here’s a look at the latest product offerings.
Model 220 Cabover
Like the past cabovers in Peterbilt’s storied product
history, the Model 220 exists in part due to length laws
in several major Amercan cities. The design puts the cab
18 l FIRST CLASS
directly over the engine, and length previously
committed to hood length can now be committed to payload and cargo capacity.
The result is a compact vehicle, with a
GVW of 26,000 or 33,000 lbs., that can
make a complete turn in a typical cul-desac — a feature popular with the urban
delivery firms, refuse operators and street
sweepers responsible for the Model 220’s
growing popularity.
“That’s what we hear the most, that
drivers don’t have to make nearly as many
three-point turns,” says Medium-Duty
Market Segment Manager Wesley Slavin.
“We have a major pharmacy chain in
New York City operating a fleet of Model
220s and they’re very happy with them.
They like the quiet operating environment
and the visibility.
“And the spec, particularly the Allison
automatic transmission, really opens up
the driver pool.”
Ride quality, once a concern for
cabover operators, is excellent in the 220,
according to Chowaniec.
“We have long, extended front
springs, and they really smooth out the
ride,” he says. “It’s very comfortable. And
the cab has a very automotive feel to it.”
The PACCAR PX-7 engine is available
in 200 to 260 horsepower ratings for the
Model 220, and the Allison 2000 or 3000
Series provide transmission options.
Model 337
Model 325, 330, 337
The mid-range of Peterbilt’s medium-duty lineup is versatility defined,
according to Slavin. The Model 325 is a
Class 5 truck (no CDL required) with a
GVW of 19,500 lbs., the Model 330 is a
Class 6 truck with a GVW of 26,000 lbs.
and the Model 337 is a Class 7 truck or
tractor with a GVW up to 33,000 lbs.
“The breadth of our product line here
really allows us to meet the needs of
the urban delivery customer, such as the
beverage hauler or the parcel delivery
customer, or other applications such as
utilities or vehicle recovery,” says Slavin.
“The visibility and driver comfort features
— specifically designed to minimize driver
fatigue — really appeal to this market.”
Since nearly all Model 330s and
many Model 337s go straight from the
Peterbilt factory to a body outfitter,
Peterbilt has worked closely with body
builders to ensure the chassis they deliver
are install-ready.
“The chassis of these trucks can be
spec’ed in 1-inch increments, so the body
builders can get any length they need for the
bodies they’ll install,” says Chowaniec. “We’ll
also do whatever we can to customize the
layout of the tanks or the battery boxes.
“We’ve heard from several body builders
that they prefer to build on our chassis. There
are no holes there that aren’t there for a pur-
Model 348
pose. Plus the wiring harnesses all run down
one side of the frame, which makes it easier to
reroute wiring if it should ever be necessary.”
Both PX-7 and PX-9 engines are available for these Peterbilt models, as well as
a variety of transmission choices.
“Just tell us what you need a truck to
do, and we’ll spec a truck that can do it,”
says Chowaniec.
Model 348
Have a heavier-duty application that
isn’t quite heavy enough for a Class 8? The
Model 348 can be spec’ed for water tanks,
dump bodies or as a tractor.
“The Model 348 is the right call for the
customer who might be hauling a heavier
load, but not pulling grades or over long
distances,” says Slavin. “It’s a niche product that fits a lot of niches — perfect for
utilities if they’re putting poles in, for
example, and they need a heavier front
axle and some higher horsepower.”
The PX-7 and PX-9 engines are available for the Model 348, and Chowaniec
notes that Peterbilt’s successful natural-gas platform, featuring the Cummins
ISL-G engine, is available for order now
with the Models 348 and 337 and delivery
will begin in February.
“That’s the biggest thing on our horizon,” says Chowaniec. “Many customers
have asked for it.” FC
Family Values
The Peterbilt medium-duty lineup shares a couple of key attributes — durability and residual
value — with its Class 8 brethren.
Peterbilt tracks annual registration of medium-duty trucks in the United States. And the
numbers show that a higher percentage of working Peterbilts are re-registered every year than
any other brand, according the Peterbilt National Medium-Duty Sales Director Scott Chowaniec.
Additionally, National Automobile Dealers Association figures show that among comparable
medium-duty products of like age and mileage, the typical Peterbilt truck returns between
$2,000 and $7,500 more in resale than competitor trucks.
“We can customize that residual into a lease equation for any customer, if that better suits
their needs,” notes Chowaniec.
FIRST CLASS l 19
PETERBILT NEWS
75th Anniversary Show: One For The Record Books
They began lining up at dawn,
Peterbilt after Peterbilt, stretching for blocks in both directions on South Airport Way
as they waited entrance to
the San Joaquin Fairgrounds
in Stockton, Calif. Carefully
arranged, they stretched up
to four wide from one end of
the fairgrounds to the other,
351 in all. It was the largest
collection of Peterbilt
trucks ever assembled,
and likely the largest collection of a single brand
of vehicle ever gathered
in one place.
And Peterbilt customers, enthusiasts and
employees past and present
came in the thousands to see
them and celebrate the 75th
anniversary of the industry’s
premier truck manufacturer,
Peterbilt Motors Company.
“It was impressive beyond
words. The turnout exceeded
even my high expectations.
With the exception of two or
three, every model of Peterbilt
ever manufactured was represented here – from the first
chassis in 1939 to the latest Model 579,” said Rick
McClerkin, who created and
organized the event for his
love of Peterbilt trucks.
McClerkin, a former
employee of Coast Counties
Peterbilt in San Jose, Calif.,
and owner of Roadway
Antique Trucks, said the event
also helped raise more than
$42,000 for charities.
In addition to the display
of trucks, a people’s-choice
truck beauty contest and a
Peterbilt history presentation
by Cam Lavin, more than 120
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20 l FIRST CLASSCLASS
current and retired Peterbilt
employees and their families
caught up and reminisced
during a special luncheon.
“As our 75th anniversary
celebrations are coming to
a close, there is no better
tribute than the outpouring
of loyalty and love for the
Peterbilt brand that was on
display during the Stockton
show,” said Darrin Siver,
Peterbilt General Manager
and PACCAR Vice President.
“We thank everyone who was
in attendance and every truck
owner who proudly brought
their Peterbilt to this historic
event.”
Model 220
Clear Frame
Rail Package
Optimizes Body
Peterbilt’s new medium-duty
Model 220 can now be spec’d
with a clear frame rail package that provides up to 10
inches of additional frame rail
space (versus the previous clear
frame rail package).
“This new option is ideal
for customers in applications
such as beverage delivery, street
sweeping and striping and
refuse collection and packing,”
says Scott Chowaniec, Peterbilt
National Medium-Duty Sales
Manager. “The clear frame
rail package optimizes chassis
space to help accommodate
installation of a wider range of
work bodies. Additionally, this
new configuration results in a
40 percent larger capacity DEF
[diesel exhaust fluid] tank,
improved visibility through the
rear window and greater ease
of serviceability.”
Peterbilt introduced the
new Model 220 in March and
it went into full production
in July.
New AntiTheft System
for Model
579, 567 with
MX-13 Engines
Peterbilt now offers a
new anti-theft system for
its Models 579 and 567
equipped with PACCAR
MX-13 Engines, providing
customers with an extra
layer of security.
“The anti-theft system
integrates with the MX-13
Engine and the vehicle’s
Driver Information Center
to require operators to enter
a unique passcode to start
the truck,” says Peterbilt
Chief Engineer Landon
Sproull. “If an incorrect
code is entered, the engine
will be disabled until the
correct code is used.”
As added security,
Sproull said, the engine
must be started within six minutes of entering
the code, or the code will
need to be entered again.
Passwords can be changed
and the system can be
activated or deactivated
through any Peterbilt dealership’s service department.
Fleets using Peterbilt’s proprietary Electronic Service
Analyst software can also
make changes to the antitheft system.
The anti-theft system
is now in production and
available for order.
Improved Fuel Economy with
AdvanTEK 40 Tandem Axle
Delivering improved
fuel economy, reduced
maintenance and lower
weight, the Dana Spicer
AdvanTEK 40 tandem drive axle
is now available for all Peterbilt heavy-duty truck models.
The efficient axle design with AdvanTEK gearing and optimized integration with Peterbilt’s chassis can improve fuel
efficiency by up to two percent, or approximately $1,500 in fuel
costs annually.
“This new axle provides customers with numerous bottom-line benefits, particularly in linehaul applications, including
higher fuel economy, lower maintenance and increased payloads,” says Robert Woodall, Peterbilt Director of Sales and
Marketing. “With the AdvanTEK 40 customers can spec the fastest axle ratios in the industry to handle higher torque input while
reducing engine speeds by 200 rpm for better fuel efficiency.”
FIRST CLASS l 21
PETERBILT NEWS
Peterbilt Introduces Model 320 Right-Hand Stand-Up Cab
As side-loader collection vehicles continue to gain popularity
in residential refuse applications, Peterbilt has announced a new
right-hand stand-up configuration of its recently redesigned lowcab forward Model 320.
The redesigned Model 320 was introduced last year with
an entirely new interior that features superior fit and finish and
numerous enhancements that improve operator comfort, productivity and safety.
22 l FIRST CLASS
“Industry-wide reception of the new Model 320 has been
outstanding, and we’re pleased to be expanding its versatility by
offering it in a right-hand stand-up configuration,” says Robert
Woodall, Peterbilt Director of Sales and Marketing. “Customers
engaged in curbside refuse collection who prefer this type of
configuration will now enjoy the many advantages of the Model
320’s best in class operating environment.”
The Model 320 is available in left-hand drive, right-hand
drive and dual drive with right-hand stand-up configurations.
“Refuse collection routes require the operator to enter and
exit the vehicle numerous times during his or her shift. The standup configuration makes ingress and egress easier and results in
less driver fatigue,” said Woodall.
The new Model 320 went into production late last year with
a floor-to-ceiling redesign of the interior.
Adds Woodall, “Peterbilt’s refuse models are second to none
in durability, performance and value. They are extremely versatile
and we offer a model designed to excel in every type and phase
of refuse operation.”
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©2014 Cummins Inc., Box 3005, Columbus, IN 47202-3005 U.S.A.
%%
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PETERBILT MOTORS COMPANY
DENTON, TX
(940) 591-4000
HORSHAM, PA
(215) 773-2990
NASHVILLE, TN
(615) 208-1800
SAN RAMON, CA
(925) 830-4900
SCHAUMBURG, IL
(847) 310-9939
MISSISSAUGA, ON
(905) 858-7090
))))