Fleet Management News & Business Info | Commercial Carrier Journal
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SPECIAL REPORT LIGHT- AND MEDIUM-DUTY EQUIPMENT hile Class 8 trucks and tractors remain the bread and butter for most North American fleet operations, a growing number of equip- ment options exist for fleets spec'ing light- and medium-duty vehicles, spanning everything from small urban delivery vans like the Chevy HHR and the Ford Transit Connect up to larger cab-forward trucks like the Isuzu NPR and Mitsubishi Canter. Major OEMs continue to embrace alternative-fuel options as they look at new ways to power these vehicles. Several years ago, medium-duty hybrids dominated because they were well-suited to municipal and telecommunica- tions fleets. After that, all-electric delivery vans appeared on the grid. Now the buzz is all about natural gas-powered trucks, and virtually every NG OFFERINGS DOMINATE LATEST PRODUCTS BY JACK ROBERTS ROUNDUP W press conference held during this year's NTEA Work Truck Show addressed natural gas, be it compressed or liquefied natural gas, infrastructure issues or new products. All the major OEMs were anxious to highlight the investments they are making to provide fleets with integrated factory-assembled natural gas trucks that will provide economical, reliable power and help offset rising diesel and gasoline prices. Here's a roundup of some of the latest vehicles and product offerings in the light- and medium-duty equipment marketplace. 50 COMMERCIAL CARRIER JOURNAL | JUNE 2012