The trade show floor opened Thursday afternoon at the Mid-America Trucking Show in Louisville, Ky. Vendors from across the industry are set up at the Kentucky Fair & Exposition Center and were greeted by throngs of attendees. The show continues tomorrow. We’ll have more pictures over the next couple days.
As the trade show doors flew open Thursday, there was no shortage of news from OEs and suppliers alike. Among some of the highlights Thursday were:
• Alcoa introduced the Dura-Bright EVO, an improved version of its primary commercial vehicle wheel. The wheel is 10 times more resistant than prior products to corrosion primarily caused by road salts and weather elements, and more resistant to chemicals found in the toughest truck cleaning agents, said Victor Marquez, vice president and general manager for the Americas. Click here to read more.
• After falling dormant for the past several years, Bridgestone is breathing new life into its Dayton Truck Tire brand. In January, Bridgestone committed to resurrecting the brand but rather than trying to compete Bridgestone, the company’s OE line or Firestone, the company’s retail brand, Dayton was slated to take a different path. Matt Loos, director of truck & bus marketing for Bridgestone Commercial Solutions, says Dayton was brought back from the abyss as an owner-operator and small fleet tire. Click here to read more.
• Alliance Truck Parts launched a new online parts cross reference tool. The web-based tool consolidates data from the top OEM and independent manufacturers, creating a single point of access that allows customers to find the right Alliance truck part for their specific truck make and model. Click here to read more.
• Volvo Truck North America debuted an expanded fuel efficient powertrain package and a new adaptable forward lifting 6×2 axle. Volvo says its new efficiency powertrain – eXceptional efficiency – improves fuel efficiency by lowering engine rpms at a given vehicle speed, a concept Volvo calls “downspeeding.” Click here to read more.
• WABCO launched its most advanced collision mitigation system (CMS) for commercial trucks and buses in North America later this year. WABCO’s says its OnGuardACTIVE utilizes a powerful 77GHz radar sensor that maintains the system’s high performance in all weather conditions. Click here to read more.
• Kenworth launched a new 76-in. mid-roof sleeper for its T680 and T880.The company says full production is expected to start in the fall. Kenworth General Manager and Paccar vice President Preston Feight says the 76-in. mid-roof sleeper is optimized for liquid bulk tankers, flatbed haulers and operators looking for a lighter weight, more aerodynamic truck with all the driver comforts of a full-height sleeper. Click here to read more.
• Factory installed and fully integrated, Peterbilt’s new SmartLINQ remote diagnostics system provides customers with real-time, at-a-glance fleet health to maximize uptime, keep deliveries on schedule and manage service events. Click here to read more.
• Mack Trucks has honed in on a very specific set of goals in the years ahead, and integration is a central focus. “(Integration) is about application excellence; about finding and developing a truck that is going to work in that specific application,” says Stephen Roy, president of Mack Trucks North America. Click here to read more.
