Fleet Management News & Business Info | Commercial Carrier Journal
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PRODUCT REVIEWS, OEM & SUPPLIER NEWS AND EQUIPMENT MANAGEMENT TRENDS BY JACK ROBERTS It's an infinitely variable system that al- lows the driver to meet any conceivable magnitude of rain they encounter. But here's the thing: Do drivers know the system is there and understand how to get the maximum use out of it? The same question holds true for the I-Shift transmission – which is packed to the gills with productivity enhance- ment features. Those features are there just waiting to be used to their fullest advantage. But do drivers know how to use them? I have no doubt fleet managers know advantage – but do drivers how to use them? ity enhancement features that are there just waiting to be used to their fullest America's VNL 670 tractor is loaded with productiv- Volvo Trucks North all about these features and understand the benefits they offer both to a fleet's bottom line and to drivers at the end of a long, tough day. But is that informa- tion being communicated effectively to hundreds – if not thousands – of driv- ers who may be scattered at terminals all across the country? Of course, all the pertinent infor- mation is contained in the owner's manual. But – and let's be honest – who really reads owner's manuals? And even if drivers actually take the time to read the manual, there's no substitute for hands-on experience to showcase a new feature's usefulness. Fleet training is an option – and certainly new driver training is an effective method of getting the word out. Another option might be to partner with a dealer and have them brief drivers on new vehicle systems and features. It's a tough nut to crack logistically – particularly for large fleets – but it's worth the effort. There's no question new vehicle systems can make drivers safer, more productive and better rested. More importantly, many of these systems are proven winners when it comes to saving time and money – and noth- ing affects the bottom line as dramatically as time and money. JACK ROBERTS is Executive Editor of Commercial Carrier Journal. E-mail jroberts@ccjmagazine.com or call (205) 248-1358. In addition to commemorating the first Peterbilt Model 579 delivery, TMC Transportation ordered an additional 1,500 units. TMC takes delivery of first Peterbilt Model 579 P eterbilt Motors Co. announced delivery of the first Model 579 to TMC Transpor- tation of Des Moines, Iowa. The Model 579, Peterbilt's newest SmartWay-designated product, was designed to optimize fuel efficiency, increase vehicle reliability and enhance operator comfort. In addition to commemorating the first Model 579 delivery, TMC announced it had ordered an additional 1,500 units, citing the product's fuel-efficiency design characteristics and early driver feedback upon review- ing comfort and amenities inherent in the cab and sleeper interior. Rowland accepts first reefer from new Great Dane plant tion of the facility's first customer trailer produced to or- der – an Everest TL – in a ceremony with its new owner, Rowland Transportation of Dade City, Fla. Great Dane's Statesboro facility encompasses 450,000 G square feet including office space and a 3,000-square- foot climate-controlled noise-free customer preview center. The facility is dedicated to manufacturing Ever- est reefers – the TL model for truckload carriers and the CL model for multitemp and foodservice operations, especially those in the Southeast. Great Dane's reefer plant in Statesboro, Ga., celebrated completion of its TL's owner, Rowland Transportation of Dade City, Fla. first customer trail- er with the Everest COMMERCIAL CARRIER JOURNAL | OCTOBER 2012 31 reat Dane's new refrigerated trailer plant in Statesboro, Ga., celebrated comple-