GM Delivers Most Segment Awards in Dependability Study Eight models ranked most dependable in segment

• ·    Four Chevrolet segment leaders most of any brand
• ·    Buick Verano ranked most dependable vehicle in the industry
• ·    11 GM models place in Top 3 of their segments

DETROIT – For the second consecutive year, General Motors’ brands deliver the most segment awards in the J.D. Power Vehicle Dependability Study.

“GM’s customer-centric focus on quality and dependability is yielding results for our customers,” said Jeff Wrona, General Motors executive director, Global Quality. “These awards reflect our ongoing commitment to delivering the industry’s best ownership experience.”

The 2016 study tracks 2013 model year vehicles in their third year of ownership.
All GM brands ranked above industry average with Buick, GMC and Chevrolet ranking third, fifth and sixth respectively.

Chevrolet delivered the most segment leaders of any industry brand, led by Malibu as the segment leader for the second year in a row in the highly competitive Midsize Car segment. Camaro ranks highest in the Midsize Sporty Car segment for the fourth consecutive year and Silverado HD ranks first in the Large Heavy Duty Pickup Segment for the second year.  Equinox ranks first in the popular Compact SUV segment.

Buick Verano becomes the industry’s most dependable vehicle and segment award recipient in Compact Car.  Encore leads the Small SUV segment, adding to the popular SUV’s 2013 JD Power Initial Quality Study and Automotive Performance Execution and Layout (APEAL) Study segment awards. LaCrosse also receives an award for the second year in the Large Car segment. 

The GMC Yukon ranked first in the Large SUV segment for the third year in a row.

Model Highlights by Brand

Chevrolet

• ·    Malibu – Segment Award, Midsize Car (2nd Year in a Row)
• ·    Camaro – Segment Award, Midsize Sporty Car (4th Year in a Row)
• ·    Equinox – Segment Award, Compact SUV
• ·    Silverado HD – Segment Award, Large Heavy Duty Pickup (2nd Year in Row)
• ·    Tahoe – Ranks Second, Large SUV
• ·    Silverado – Ranks Third, Large Light Duty Pickup

Buick

• ·    Verano – Segment Award, Compact Car
• ·    Encore – Segment Award, Small SUV
• ·    LaCrosse – Segment Award, Large Car (2nd Year in a Row)

GMC

• ·    Yukon – Segment Award, Large SUV (3rd Year in a Row)
• ·    Sierra – Ranks Second, Large Light Duty Pickup

General Motors Co. (NYSE:GM, TSX: GMM) and its partners produce vehicles in 30 countries, and the company has leadership positions in the world's largest and fastest-growing automotive markets. GM, its subsidiaries and joint venture entities sell vehicles under the Chevrolet, Cadillac, Baojun, Buick, GMC, Holden, Jiefang, Opel, Vauxhall and Wuling brands. More information on the company and its subsidiaries, including OnStar, a global leader in vehicle safety, security and information services, can be found at http://www.gm.com. 

Highway Products Tonneau Cover

                                           The new Tonneau Cover by Highway Products

GM to Make More 6.2 Liter V-8's for Pickups and SUV's

In case you've had trouble finding that crew-cab Chevrolet Silverado 1500, GMC Sierra 1500 or a full-size GM SUV with the powerful and efficient 6.2-liter V-8 and eight-speed transmission, you're likely to have more options in the future.

GM has announced it will invest $148 million to repurpose machinery at its Spring Hill Manufacturing plant in Tennessee to create a third production site for the popular 6.2-liter small-block V-8. It says the move will retain 200 jobs at the plant.

The larger V-8 for full-size GM vehicles (some of which also are offered with the 5.3-liter V-8) currently is built at Tonawanda, N.Y., and St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada, but with fuel prices likely to stay low for a while and demand for half-ton pickups and full-size SUVs (such as the GMC Yukon XL and Cadillac Escalade) high, GM decided to make the investment.

The Spring Hill plant currently produces four-cylinder engines, but GM has invested there in recent years in flexible equipment and machining capability. That will allow, GM said, the new engine line to be up and running much faster than the typical two or three years for a new line. GM said the 6.2-liter V-8 production is scheduled to begin in the fourth quarter of 2016.

Source: http://news.pickuptrucks.com/2016/02/gm-to-make-more-62-liter-v-8s-for-pickups-and-suvs.html

ACT Expo May 2-5.2016 - More Diverse than Ever

 ACT Expo May 2-5.2016 - Long Beach, CA

The fast-approaching Advanced Clean Transportation (ACT) Expo in Long Beach, Calif. May 2-5 will be the most diverse ever, with co-hosts including the California Hydrogen Business Council, the Electric Drive Transportation Association, NGVAmerica, the North American Council for Freight Efficiency, and the Propane Education & Research Council.

ACTExpo2016_Graphic“One size does not fit all when it comes to the myriad duty-cycles, climates, load and scheduling demands and regional infrastructure availability faced by North American fleets,” Neandross said.

Multiple Vehicle Showcases
CHBC, EDTA, NGVAmerica and PERC will each host vehicle showcase areas in the ACT Expo 2016 exhibition hall, highlighting the offerings of their member companies. A Trucking Efficiency Showcase will be hosted by NACFE in partnership with the Carbon War Room.

“At ACT Expo, all of the options are represented,” Neandross says: “all weight classes and vehicle types, powered by hydrogen, electricity, natural gas, propane autogas, and biofuels.”
Telematics and Autonomous Vehicles, Too

ACT Expo attendees will also learn about the increasing role played by telematics-based fleet management techniques, and even the emerging autonomous vehicle technologies.


Source: http://www.fleetsandfuels.com/fuels/cng/2016/02/act-expo-2016-more-diverse-than-ever/

NTEA Enhances Work Truck Show for 2016

The NTEA has announced three new features at The Work Truck Show 2016 (held March 1-4 in Indianapolis), which are designed to give a glimpse into the future of vocational trucks.

A demo truck displayed near the Show entrance highlights the lifecycle cost benefits of spec’ing trucks that weigh less and use less fuel. A bright red, life-size Shelby Cobra convertible replica on the Show floor will draw attention to the power of 3-D printing to reduce manufacturing and R&D costs, and maximize innovation. And, outside, attendees can test drive commercial vehicles incorporating the latest advanced technologies and alternative fuel applications to identify those that might work in their fleets.

The Lightweight and Advanced Technology Demo Truck display consists of an Isuzu NRR diesel Class 5 truck upfitted with lightweight components. The truck itself is lightweight — weighing 760 pounds less than a conventional cab — and equipped with a driver feedback reporting system, speed limiting and idle shutdown to maximize fuel efficiency.

The truck is upfitted with:

•     Alcoa one-piece forged aluminum wheels with corrosion-resistant Dura-Bright finish. These wheels are typically about 50 percent lighter than the same size steel wheel.
•     A Switch-N-Go hoist system from Deist Industries Inc. This detachable body system permits total unloading of a full, partial or empty body onto the ground, removing body weight and load. Switch-N-Go equipped vehicles operate with no body at all during transport trips. Utilizing a detachable truck body system may allow fleets to use one chassis for multiple applications, such as dump, dumpster, chipper and flatbed.
•     Voth Truck Bodies’ lightweight aluminum detachable dump body. Aluminum bodies provide an average weight reduction of 50 percent compared to steel units, which results in reduced fuel consumption and greater payload capacity.

The GTA, an NTEA affiliate division, teamed up with its Lightweight Materials Technology Council to build the lightweight concept truck. To analyze the vehicle’s life cycle costs, GTA worked with the National Renewable Energy Lab, which is part of the Department of Energy and is associated with the Clean Cities program that seeks to cut petroleum use in transportation. The results of the National Renewable Energy Lab’s in-depth analysis will be available in the display at The Work Truck Show.

To demonstrate the potential of 3-D printing technology, The Work Truck Show will feature a full-size 3-D-printed replica of a Shelby Cobra convertible and an SAF Holland truck and bus suspension in Booth 3400 next to NTEA’s booth. Both models were built by Cincinnati Incorporated. The company will have representatives on hand to answer questions about 3-D printing and its Big Area Additive Manufacturing (BAAM) product line.

Formerly known as the Green Truck Ride-and-Drive, the NTEA is expanding the focus of this popular Show feature to include the latest advanced productivity technologies as well as alternative fuel applications. The Work Truck Show Ride-and-Drive is open to all Show attendees on Wednesday, March 2, and Thursday, March 3, from noon to 4:30 p.m. The event gives Show attendees the opportunity to drive a variety of vehicles on city streets or in a closed course.

The vehicles available to drive in The Work Truck Show Ride-and-Drive include:

•     Alliance AutoGas — Bi-fuel propane autogas Ford Transit 15-passenger van equipped with a 3.7-liter V6 engine running on propane autogas.
•     BEAU-ROC/Palmer Power & Truck Equipment — Kenworth T370 with a municipal BEAU-ROC body and bed.
•     Cummins Inc. — Greenhouse gas 2017 compliant ISB6.7 high-efficiency diesel box truck, optimized for pickup and delivery.
•     Eaton — International DuraStar 4300 crew-cab chassis with the all-new Procision 7-speed dual-clutch transmission.
•     Eaton — Kenworth dump truck featuring an automated VCS UltraShift PLUS transmission.
•     Freightliner Custom Chassis Corporation — S2G propane-powered medium-duty truck featuring an 8-liter engine with a CleanFUEL USA liquid injection propane fuel system and equipped with a bobtail bulk propane delivery tanker body.
•     Hino Trucks — Hino COE 195H Class 5 electric hybrid truck.
•     Hino Trucks — A second Hino COE 195H Class 5 electric hybrid truck.
•     Isuzu Commercial Truck of America Inc. — Isuzu low cab forward N-Series Class 4 truck upfitted with an IMPCO bi-fuel system.
•     Kenworth Truck Company — Kenworth T-880 straight truck equipped with a roll-off system and powered by a Cummins ISX12-G natural gas-fueled engine.
•     Lightning Hybrids — Ford E-450 cargo truck featuring the company’s energy recovery system for medium- and heavy-duty trucks.
•     Mitsubishi Fuso Truck of America Inc. — FUSO FE E-Cell prototype all-electric, battery-powered medium-duty cabover work truck.
•     Peterbilt Motors Company — Peterbilt 337 tractor equipped to operate on natural gas utilizing a Cummins Westport ISL-G engine and Agility CNG fuel system.
•     VIA Motors Inc. — 2015 Silverado with VIA’s eREV electric hybrid powertrain.

Participation in The Work Truck Show Ride-and-Drive is free, and no advance registration is required. The Ride-and-Drive is sponsored by Hino Trucks.

Produced annually by NTEA – The Association for the Work Truck Industry, the 2016 Show will be held March 1–4 at the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis, Indiana. Educational sessions begin March 1, and exhibits open March 2.


Source: http://www.truckinginfo.com/news/story/2016/02/ntea-announces-new-work-truck-show-features.aspx

Stellar X-Tra-Lift 2000 Does the Heavy Lifting

When the job requires heavy lifting, the Stellar X-Tra-Lift 2000 does the work.

Harbor Service Body False Floor keeps the cargo separated, secure and easily accesible

Here’s a great solution for contractors, utilities and municipal water departments, etc. - a false floor for the Harbor service body. The Dual Tailgate keeps contents secure while allowing access to each independently.

The best of both worlds, space for your equipment above and other storage below. For instance the storage below could serve as a sign box, storage for road signs or long tools while keeping the cargo area free for equipment.

Note that the lower compartment is lockable.

Find out more: Harbor Truck Bodies 800-433-9452