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GROUNDBREAKING NEWSFulfilling Your Medium DutiesKenworth Truck Co. Offers Key Tips for Spec’ingCommercial TrucksProjects are becoming more competitive, cash flow is gettingleaner and new equipment purchases are seemingly aluxury in this uneven economic ebb and flow. So if yourcrews need a new truck, the fine folks at Kenworth TruckCo. want to make sure you find the ideal work wagon —especially when it comes to medium-duty chassis cabs.“Customer expectations of medium-duty trucks havecontinued to increase in recent years,” said Judy McTigue,Medium-duty Marketing Manager for Kenworth Truck Co.“Many users look for a business solution that provides superioruptime and reliability. An increased focuson fuel efficiency and efforts to reduce the environmentalfootprint are driving interest in hybrids.Dependability is also high on the list because,day in and day out, medium-duty trucksare work trucks and customer satisfaction isbased on making timely deliveries, pickups orservice calls.For years, a key criterion for spec’ing mediumdutytrucks has been the gross vehicle weight rating(GVWR). Users select trucks primarily on thebasis of their class.But a medium-duty truck is not just any truck— it’s the wheels of your business, carrying crewsand pulling pieces of equipment. For starters,medium-duty trucks fall into Class 5 (16,001- to19,500-lbs GVWR), Class 6 (19,501- to 26,000-lbs GVWR) and Class 7 (26,001- to 33,000-lbsGVWR).While the vehicle’s GVWR is still important,buyers are increasingly focusing on other factors.Know your payload, terrain conditions and body requirementsand you’ll be on the way to developing a good understandingof how to spec your medium-duty truck chassis foryour business application.“For example, how many fires is it acceptable not to respondto because your town’s pumper truck is down for servicing?Or how many missed residential propane deliveriesare allowable in the dead of a cold winter?” asked McTigue.“Your medium-duty truck must stay running because it’s noteasy to rent when it’s down, unlike a tractor pulling a trailer.Think of it like a house. Your medium-duty truck chassis isvery similar — you need it to deliver your goods or services,each day, all day. You wouldn’t build a house for your familyon a foundation that will give way before the house itself.”Body WisdomSome of the first things to consider are the type ofload, annual mileage and type of operating environment.Buyers can choose from a wide range of bodies that canbe mounted differently depending on the truck’s wheelbaseand local weight regulations.“Bodies are mounted flush with the cab or with a space inbetween,” McTigue explained. “They can also be on top of theframe or extend below it. Kenworth’s body builder options helpthe body builder with this process. Frame strength and lengthcan be determined when we know the type of body selected.Typically, the big issue with a frame isn’t just the kind of load,but also the body type and vehicle application. For example,there’s no problem with a truck-mounted crane when it’s travelingdown the road mounted. But when it’s parked and liftingloads, we need to have a better understanding of the weightsand stresses that will be placed on the vehicle.”When building your medium-duty truck, knowing your payload, terrainconditions and body requirements is as important as knowing whereyour keys are when you want to drive it to the jobsite.The DrivetrainA carefully spec’d drivetrain can lower your total operatingcosts over the truck’s life. Be careful not to over-spec the engine.“In a fire and rescue application, you’re going to needhigh horsepower and torque to get good acceleration.But in most pickup and delivery applications, you aren’tgoing to need nearly the same amount,” McTigue said.“A manual transmission may be best if you either have anexperienced driver or don’t make frequent deliveries. An automaticor automated transmission may be a better fit if youhave either a new driver or routes with frequent stops.”Whether you select manual or automatic, you shouldchoose the rear axle ratio carefully to get the best fueleconomy. “Pick something that will provide the startabilityneeded based on the load that will be carried, butalso keeps the engine in the most fuel-efficient operatingrange as long as possible.“As it is with many of the other specs, it all comes down tofinding the right balance,” McTigue concluded.12 Utility Contractor | January 2009
GROUNDBREAKING NEWSIn the NewsAuction InnovationThe inaugural auction from Cat AuctionServices held Nov. 12 in Des Moines, Iowa,was met with great enthusiasm from bothbuyers and sellers. Buyers got a uniquevideo look at each machine as it was sold —a high-tech approach to a classic format.Dan Ames, Owner of Minnesota DirtWorks Inc., of Lonsdale, Minn., made hisfirst-ever auction purchase, though hetypically buys all his equipment from localdealers. Ames went to the auction intendingonly to be a spectator.“It was a first-class event, and all of theequipment seemed high quality. The presaleinspection report on the equipmentwas a big benefit to me,” Ames said. “Iwent to the auction with no intentionof buying and came home with a smallcompactor. Seeing the machines on theJumboTron moving and going throughall their functions gave me even moreconfidence in the purchase.”A total of 275 pieces of equipment weresold garnering $8.85 million as 499 onsiteand 327 online bidders from 14 statesand nine countries, including Mexico,Canada and Egypt, vied for the top-of-theline equipment that featured completepre-sale inspection reports based on CatUsed standards.Chinese FortuneJLG Industries Inc., along with itsparent company, Oshkosh Corp., brokeground for a new manufacturing facilityin Tianjin, China. Yet another step inOshkosh Corp.’s strategic businessinitiatives to meet the demands of aglobal economy and the growing demandfor aerial work platforms in the Chineseand Asian markets.JLG Industries has been selling andservicing products in the Asian market fordecades. The company opened an office inBeijing in 2002 to enhance responsivenessto its Chinese customers in the shipyard,construction, airport, hotel, industrial andmaintenance industries.“We have chosen to expand in Chinabecause we believe the Asian market holdstremendous long-term potential for ouraccess equipment. In many respects, ourAsian customers are just beginning to seethe tremendous value that access equipmentcan provide in construction, manufacturing,maintenance, industrial and shipyardapplications,” said Craig E. Paylor, OshkoshCorp. Executive Vice President and Presidentof JLG Industries.The new facility will produce JLG accessequipment specifically for the Asian market.JLG currently has manufacturing operationsin Pennsylvania, Ohio and North Dakotaand in Maasmechelen, Belgium, Tonneins,France, and Medias, Romania.January 2009 | Utility Contractor 13
Page 4: JANUARY 2009 CONTENTSJANUARY 2009 |
Page 8 and 9: GROUNDBREAKING NEWSSaying Goodbye t
Page 10 and 11: GROUNDBREAKING NEWSGoing RetroVolvo
Page 14 and 15: THE RENTAL YARDHarness the PowerWha
Page 16 and 17: THE RENTAL YARDamount of applicatio
Page 18 and 19: UNEARTHED E EXCAVATORA MysteriesJap
Page 20 and 21: ental center experts guide you thro
Page 22 and 23: Changing AttachmentsAttachment offe
Page 24 and 25: BLADES OF STEELE Mike Boyle, John D
Page 26 and 27: CSE: Crime SceneEquipmentThwarting
Page 28 and 29: will be back to the jobsite until M
Page 30 and 31: another day, then the compressors w
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Page 41 and 42: INSIDE WASHINGTON“Although it is
Page 43 and 44: SAFETY MANAGEMENTand your field per
Page 46 and 47: CA NEWSew NUCA Chapter Forming in C
Page 48 and 49: CA NEWSint Contractor/Engineer Meet
Page 50: CA NEWSEW MEMBERSNTRACTORSing Const
Page 53 and 54: THE PIPELINEInterested in seeing YO
Page 55: CODE FINDER for Building and Constr

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