Fleet Management News & Business Info | Commercial Carrier Journal
Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/93367
CUMMINS | continued from page 34 lower engine rpm levels and – most im- portantly – leaving the truck in top gear as much as possible. "A lot of the older drivers don't feel like they have any available power in top gear, " he says. "But with these new engines, fuel economy and durability are greatly enhanced by running in top gear as often and as long as possible." That's where the new Gear Down Protection feature on the ISX15 comes into play; it limits vehicle speed in lower gears to keep drivers from winding out the transmis- sion and encourages timely upshifts into the "sweet spot." On I-65 heading toward Indy, Owens instructed me to shift the 13-speed Eaton in 12th gear to see what would hap- pen. Sure enough, the truck wound out to about 58 mph and then just lugged along; that's the smart electronics kicking in and retarding vehicle speed, but the intervention isn't aggressive. A quick upshift results in impressive acceleration up to 70 mph. The ISX15's new cruise control is easily programmable by the driver to meet a wide array of settings for optimized fuel economy, from high and low cruise speeds to high performance on grades. The ISX15's Load Based Speed Con- trol, Owens says, is designed to improve fuel economy and lower engine noise by matching engine performance to the truck's load. In my case, GVW was about 75,000 pounds. On flat stretches, Cum- mins' ECM limits the amount of usable engine speed to optimize fuel economy. But the ISX15 accelerates so smoothly and quickly, a driver never would know any power was being held back. The idea is to give ample on-demand power to get a load moving, yet limit the chance of a costly unnecessary fuel burn brought on by a heavy foot or overrev- ving. But not to worry; if the ECM senses the truck is starting out on a grade or pulling a heavier-than-normal load, the available rpm is increased automatically. Untitled-23 1 PEACE OF MIND IS KNOWING YOUR TRUCK PASSED A 148-POINT TEST THAT WASN'T GRADED ON A CURVE. Every SelectCertifi ed™ used truck undergoes a rigorous 148-point inspection that covers everything from the powertrain to the cab and chassis. We inspect every truck so you don't have to. Each truck passes a Dyno test and is Federal DOT-certifi ed, saving you time and money. ® ™ ALLISON, DANA | continued from page 37 systems and allows engines to operate at more efficient speeds. Allison plans to use CVP to develop primary drivetrain transmissions for markets that could include commer- cial vehicles, military applications and certain off-highway and large station- ary equipment markets. Under a separate agreement, Dana will hold an exclusive license from Fallbrook to produce transmission components and other advanced powertrain solutions with CVP for passenger and certain off-highway vehicles. selectrucks.com/selectcertifi ed | 1-877-577-9075 Copyright © Daimler Trucks North America LLC. All rights reserved. SelecTrucks is a brand of Daimler Trucks North America LLC. Daimler Trucks Remarketing Corporation is a subsidiary of Daimler Trucks North America LLC, a Daimler company. Available exclusively at participating SelecTrucks Centers. Details subject to change, see your Center for complete details. Write 244 on Reader Service Card or visit ccjdigital.com/info COMMERCIAL CARRIER JOURNAL | OCTOBER 2012 39 SC_148pt_CCJ_45x7375.indd 1 9/7/12 11:39 AM 9/12/12 1:33 PM