Medium-Duty Trucks

WORK TRUCK SHOW -- A new Canter FE130 model boosts gross vehicle weight rating and body/payload capacity by 700 pounds over the previous FE125 model, and a recalibrated Duonic transmission provides more performance, said executives of Mitsubishi Fuso Truck of America.

WORK TRUCK SHOW -- Isuzu Commercial Truck of America unveiled its lineup of 2014 and 2015 model year N-Series diesel models. The company also announced that it would extend its 24 Months/60,000 Miles Covered Maintenance Program to all the diesel models sold through June 30, 2014.

WORK TRUCK SHOW -- Maxwell Technologies is expanding its ultracapacitor-based Engine Start Module product line to medium-duty Class 3-6 trucks. The ESM ULTRA 31/900 replaces traditional lead-acid starting batteries, virtually eliminating cranking problems that come from weak or discharged batteries.

Kenworth Sales Co. was named 2013 Kenworth Medium Duty Dealer of the Year for the United States and Canada at the annual Kenworth Dealer Meeting held recently in the Seattle area.

A lot has happened since 2007 to impact medium-duty truck maintenance costs and protocols — for better and for worse.

Tips from Pro-Tread on driving in slick winter conditions and doing a pre-trip exhaust check for drivers of medium-duty trucks.

Navistar International won both categories in the American Truck Dealers’ 2014 Commercial Truck of the Year competition with its ProStar heavy duty and TerraStar medium-duty models. ATD announced the winners at a lunch on Sunday, during its joint annual convention with the National Automobile Dealers Association in New Orleans. The trucks were among three heavy and four medium-duty models submitted by manufacturers for judging last fall.

December was the second biggest Class 8 order month since March 2006, with orders up roughly 50% month-over-month and year-over-year. Meanwhile, medium-duty December net orders fell month-over-month; but year-over-year orders were mixed, with Classes 6 to 7 rising 20% and Class 5 orders falling 16% against tough comparisons.

Navistar Inc. announced that it has started customer shipments of its first International DuraStar vehicles with the Cummins ISB 6.7-liter engine. The first units were released from the company's Escobedo, Mexico assembly plant.

The California Energy Commission is seeking proposals to spend $200 million starting in 2015 to build out fueling stations and other infrastructure to support hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles.

The Timken Co. is expanding its product portfolio of tapered roller bearing sets, hub units and seals for medium-duty vehicles, including commercial vans, delivery trucks, bucket trucks and other fleet vehicles.

Kenworth now offers its latest Kenworth Cabover Body Builder Manual, which contains useful information and guidelines for truck specification and design during the body planning and installation processes. The manual’s information is specific to Kenworth K270 Class 6 and Kenworth K370 Class 7 cabovers.

Navistar International Corp. says it will offer the Cummins ISB 6.7-liter diesel in its International DuraStar medium-duty trucks and CE series IC school buses, but that this doesn't mean it's getting out of the engine business.