Fleet Management News & Business Info | Commercial Carrier Journal
Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/265903
32 COMMERCIAL CARRIER JOURNAL | MARCH 2014 T he expanse of the Texas plains always has fascinated Americans in a manner disproportionate to its hard-scrabble terrain. But as many truckers know intimately, driving a big rig across the Longhorn State is where the vast immensity of the United States truly hits home. At times, it seems like Texas goes on for- ever. Many Texans would argue that it does. Peterbilt has deep roots in Texas, so it's not surprising that both the company and Texas take the idea of their respective histories and legacies seriously. In some ways, these can be a burden for a truck builder. Peter- bilt's storied past and its customers' expectations mean the company is not free to simply build any truck design that pops into its engineers' heads. A family history has to be considered, and any new design not only has to pay homage to that past, but also build on it while adding to its stature. It's a tall order, but one that Peterbilt has fulfilled with the advent of its newest vocational Class 8 truck: The Model 567. The truck is derived from the company's Model 579 tractor, which debuted two years ago at the Mid-America Trucking Show in Louisville, Ky. The focus of the Model 579 was to create an entirely new and modern cab/ driver environment. In order to do this, Peterbilt surveyed hundreds of truck drivers across the country, putting them in cab mockups and asking them to con- figure various structures, components and controls to their liking. The untold thousands of data points created by this research effort led to the final Model 579 product and the eventual Model 567 vocational truck which now is entering full production. The end result is a truck crafted with driver comfort and productivity as its first priorities. The iconic Peterbilt hood and grille are part of an interesting hybrid design. The new front end features retro styling that instantly calls to mind the company's long-nose truck heritage. But it also is highly aerodynamic and features aggres- sively sloping lines that give the driver excellent views to the front. Peterbilt vocational brand manager Charlie Cook walked me around the truck prior to my test drive and noted some subtle improvements. He pointed out the power steering assembly behind the left front tire. Peterbilt engineers have angled the steering gearbox off the frame by 8 degrees; the result is more even steering inputs and a more sure-footed vehicle in tight surroundings. The dump truck proved to be a breeze to maneuver across Peterbilt's busy plant in Denton and a delight to handle on the highway. Paccar's new proprietary and com- fortable Evolution air suspension seat, developed with the Model 579/567 cab, features an infinite range of ergonomic Building on a legacy Pete's latest vocational prioritizes driver comfort, productivity By JACK ROBERTS C C J T E S T D R I V E : P E T E R B I L T M O D E L 5 6 7 Peterbilt's Model 567 is derived from the company's Model 579 tractor, which evolved from hundreds of driver surveys. Peterbilt engineers angled the steering gearbox off the frame by 8 degrees for more even steering inputs and a more sure-footed vehicle in tight surroundings. Continued on page 35