The Kenworth T700 and Paccar MX Engine Tour continues through the Mid-Atlantic and New England states this month, and will wind around to the Rocky Mountains and Pacific Northwest this summer.

The tour has already covered 5,000 miles and nearly 50 locations in the first two months. It will visit another 40 dealer locations in the U.S.

"The Kenworth T700 and Paccar MX Engine Tour is an excellent opportunity for truck operators to get a good look at the truck and engine, allowing them to get a hands-on learning session about their features and advantages," said Larry Carlson, general manager of Quad Cities Kenworth in Rock Island, Ill.

About 75 customers attended the Quad Cities Kenworth open house event. "Linehaul customers found the T700's aerodynamic features offered them a truck that could optimize their fuel economy, while the interior with its 8-foot ceiling gave drivers more room to stretch out and relax," Carlson said.

Jack Daniels, owner of Fort Wayne, Ind.-based Kandel Transport Inc., said the roominess of the Kenworth T700 impressed him. Daniels, along with more than 150 other customers, saw the Kenworth T700 during the tour's visit to Fort Wayne Truck Center. "It has a surprisingly wide cab for such an aerodynamic model," Daniels said.

More than 250 customers attended tour events at two other Palmer Truck Group locations, Kenworth of Indianapolis, and Kenworth of Cincinnati.

"The Paccar MX engine was, without a doubt, very quiet from both inside and outside the cab, and really got our customers' attention," said Greg Mills, Kenworth of Cincinnati sales manager.

The Kenworth T700 is now available with the Paccar MX engine. Costco Wholesale recently took delivery of the first Kenworth truck equipped with a Paccar MX engine, which is available with a horsepower range of 380 to 485 and torque output up to 1,750 pounds-feet.

"Our biggest interest came from our linehaul customers looking to improve fuel economy and increase driver comfort," said Erick Miner, dealer principal and president of Central Illinois Trucks in Normal, Ill. Central Illinois Trucks held a two-day event at its flagship location in Normal and another event at the CIT Kenworth Chicago location in Joliet, Ill.

Upcoming July stops include: Coopersburg Kenworth, Coopersburg, Pa., (July 7); MTC Kenworth, Ridgefield Park, N.J., (July 8); Gabrielli Kenworth, Jamaica, N.Y. (July 9); CB Kenworth, Portland, Maine (July 12); Kenworth of Buffalo - Syracuse in Liverpool, N.Y., (July 13); Kenworth of Buffalo, N.Y., (July 14); Kenworth of Pennsylvania in Clintonville and New Stanton (both July 15); Eastern Michigan Kenworth - Dearborn (July 19); Michigan Kenworth, Grand Rapids (July 20); Wisconsin Kenworth in Green Bay (July 21), Madison (July 22), and Wausau (July 23); Rihm Kenworth, St. Paul, Minn. (July 26-27); Sioux City Kenworth, Sioux City, Iowa (July 28); Sioux Falls Kenworth, S.D. (July 29); Kenworth of Omaha, Neb. (July 30); and Kenworth Mid-Iowa, Des Moines, Iowa (July 31).

August tour stops include: MHC Kenworth - Salina in Kansas (Aug. 2); Wichita Kenworth, Wichita, Kan. (Aug. 3); MHC Kenworth - Denver in (Aug. 5) and MHC Kenworth - Greeley in Colorado (Aug. 6); Wallwork Truck Center, Fargo, N.D. (Aug. 9); Inland Kenworth - Albuquerque, N.M. (Aug. 13); Kenworth Sales Company - Salt Lake City, West Valley City, Utah, (Aug. 16-17); Kenworth Sales Company - Idaho Falls (Aug. 18), Kenworth Sales - Jerome (Aug. 19), and Kenworth Sales - Boise in Idaho (Aug. 20); Motor Power Equipment, Billings, Mont. (Aug. 23); Kenworth Sales - Missoula in Montana (Aug. 25); Kenworth Sales - Spokane, Wash., (Aug. 26); and Kenworth Northwest - SeaTac in SeaTac, Wash. (Aug. 30).