Designed on a 19,500-pound GVW chassis to provide class-leading payload capability, the four-door, six-person double cab is redefining driver comfort with its optional magnetic suspension seat in a cab designed to accommodate drivers up to 6 foot, 6 inches tall. Powered by Hino’s award winning 5-liter engine rated at 210 horsepower with 440 pounds-feet of torque, it is paired with Aisin’s A465, six-speed automatic transmission.

The cab also meets current EPA 2010 emission regulations by using a selective catalytic reduction system.

All Hino cab-over models are offered with a three-year HinoWatch roadside assistance and five-year/175,000-mile engine and transmission warranty.

Early bird registration for HHP Summit 2013 is available through April 30.

Scheduled for Sept. 17-19 in Chicago, HHP Summit 2013 will provide an opportunity to learn from companies that are using LNG to save 30 to 50 percent in fuel costs and significantly reduce emissions.

The following announcements, related to LNG, have recently taken place:

• HHP Summit 2013 sponsor and exhibitor Shell announced plans to build two natural gas liquefaction plants in Geismer, Louisiana and Sarnia, Canada that will provide LNG to a growing base of customers in the marine, E&P, and heavy-duty truck sectors.
• The Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad announced it is pursuing a pilot project to explore the technical and economic viability of LNG as a locomotive fuel. The company plans to test a small number of locomotives later this year.
• The race to adopt LNG as a cost savings and emission reduction measure in transportation is opening a new front in the global competition between GE and Caterpillar, two of the world’s leading high horsepower engine providers.
•  Chart Industries boasted record earnings in the last quarter of 2012—up 38 percent from their Q4 2011 sales due to the steep rise in global demand for LNG fueling equipment.

Details on HHP Summit 2013 sponsors, speakers and exhibitors will be announced soon. For more information, visit www.hhpsummit.com.

Live coverage of the NTEA: The Work Truck Show in Indianapolis

Propane was on prominent display at The Work Truck Show in Indianapolis this week with eight propane exhibitors and 14 propane-powered scattered across the showroom floor.

Among the trucks on hand was a Schwann’s grocery delivery truck. The company has been using propane for 40 years and now has 400 depots and 300 fueling stations.

“He’s lived with it through the evolution, literally,” Mike Taylor, director of autogas business development for The Propane Education & Research Council says.

Propane power has found a foothold in school transportation with two purpose built Bluebird models.

“We’re at 10 percent penetration of new bus sales in Type C for this year,” Taylor adds. “That’s over 10,000 units in a year. We’re going to go easily past 10,000 vehicles this next year. Some projections say we’ll double that. Personally, I think we’ll triple it.”

Ford’s Roush Clean Tech has launched 14 propane-powered trucks and later this year, in a partnership with Freightliner, the propane industry expects to parade out its first Class 7 vehicle and its first diesel-based engine.

“We’re developing a portfolio that fleet managers can embrace,” Taylor says.

Retrofitting an engine requires new fuel lines, injectors, wiring and assorted combustion components including the controller but it’s far from a total overhaul, Taylor says.

“From a component standpoint, we’re using the automotive technology, we’re simply replacing gasoline with propane,” he says.

Roush Clean Tech’s Rob Little says retrofitting a traditional fuel chassis takes approximately 8 hours and propane component installation follows their gasoline counterparts.

“Our fuel likes take the same exact symmetry as the existing lines,” he says. “Take off and put back on in the same spot.”

The secondary market is just now emerging, Little says, citing a strong used propane truck market in Mexico.

“They’re not spending $60,000 on a vehicle like this, but they’ll spend 10 or 20-grand for a vehicle with 200,000 miles on it.”

Typical payback on a propane conversion – which can be refueled at a rate of eight gallons per minute – is 18-24 months on 20,000 miles per year, which do not include federal incentives and tax breaks on purchases of green vehicles.

Jason Cannon is online managing editor for Truck Parts & Service and Successful Dealer magazines, sister publications to Better Roads.

North America Traffic (NAT)

The beacons feature a range of features developed to improve visibility and versatility for marking safety zones on roadways.

NAT says the field trials are underway to verify its new line of flashing beacons planned to begin production in the third quarter of 2013. The new beacons are designed for year-round, 24/7 operation in all climates.

Current testing in varied climate zones will ensure that the beacons achieve targets for durability and reliability in unattended operation, powered only by their integrated battery packs and solar array, according to NAT.

Assisting school zone compliance and enforcement

Peter Vieveen, president of North America Traffic, sees a great deal of potential for the beacons in school safety zones. The beacons can be set to flash during specific periods on a day-by-day basis through a simple interface, similar to common desktop computer calendars. While the beacons can be pre‑programmed to match normal school schedules, local users can also update the timing to reflect changes in the schedule or for special events.

Vieveen also notes that enforcement is an important part of safety that NAT addresses in the beacons’ design. A status indicator in the rear of the beacon displays when the LED signals are actually flashing. This feature will allow traffic enforcement officers to verify that the beacons were operating at the time of an infraction. In a school zone, for example, the enforcement officer could park between a pair of beacons and monitor their operation while observing traffic.

Design for custom applications

The development team at NAT has been working closely with a variety of customers to add more functions to the basic beacon. In one case, NAT is developing a beacon that is also able to power a built-in light that will illuminate the sign to which the beacon is attached. This configuration can be used to improve safety and visibility around transit stops.

In another version of the beacon, a motion detector detects the approach of trucks exiting a construction site, and triggers the flashing beacon to alert oncoming traffic. A remote control model will allow staff at a loading dock or scale to manually operate the beacons to control traffic control from distances as far as 500 feet.

To facilitate these novel features, NAT is incorporating multi-purpose accessory ports backed by a highly efficient power system. With these, Vieveen says, North America Traffic can accommodate a wide range of unique customer requests economically.

Production models of the new flashing beacons will be available through authorized North America Traffic dealers following the summer test season.

North America Traffic (NAT)

NAT says that its signal system is on track to complete field trials by the Fall of 2013. Adapted from NAT’s popular PTL 2.4x traffic signal, the new LD model was designed specifically for quick and easy setup and operation.

With one or two units towed behind the service truck, the operator can quickly set up a traffic control zone using familiar three-color traffic lights. The system is designed with emergency response in mind with a compact, highly maneuverable trailer frame. In typical use, its smaller solar-assisted battery pack will power the signals for five working days on one charge.

Peter Vieveen, president of North America Traffic, explains that his development team was especially concerned with crew safety for smaller municipalities as well as one man road repair crews.

“With tight maintenance and service budgets, it’s difficult to send extra flaggers along for every repair job,” Vieveen notes in a written statement. “This light-duty PTL will let you get the work done safely without taking on extra personnel costs.”

The TL 2.4LD will feature the same high-intensity signals used in NAT’s standard PTL 2.4x system. These highly efficient signals have proven to be more visible to oncoming drivers than human flaggers, and can be seen from up to two miles away. The dual-head signals are mounted at a 9-foot height on the vertical mast and at 17 feet. for the primary signal head suspended above the traffic lane. Setup is completed with a one-button control that raises the mast and boom arm electrically. Easy to operate electrically deployed jacks are also used to stabilize the trailer.

Vieveen notes that, at 6-feet-wide, the new trailer design is also narrower than conventional systems, providing a smaller, safer footprint on narrow roads and shoulders.

Introduced at ATSSA, the test units of the PTL 2.4LD are currently in trials to verify their operation in varied climates and jurisdictions. Production models will be available through authorized North America Traffic dealers following the summer test season.

Jacobs says makeing fellow NTEA member companies aware of all the opportunities and connections the the association offers will be a main focus during hsi next year as president.

Jacobs began his work truck industry career in the parts department of STS Trailer & Truck Equipment after graduating from college. Before becoming president in 2004, he served in many positions, including office manager, equipment salesperson, new and used sales manager, and general manager.

In his current role, he is responsible for the company’s overall administration and operations, as well as working to ensure business growth and guide the vision. STS has more than 100 employees, with offices in Buffalo, Rochester, Albany and Syracuse, N.Y.

Jacobs majored in truck marketing at Northwood Institute (Midland, Mich.) and received an associate’s in business from Central City Business Institute (Syracuse, N.Y.). He has also served on and led numerous trailer and truck equipment manufacturer advisory boards and distributor councils.

Jacobs, his wife and children reside in Brewerton, N.Y.

Also serving on the 2013-2014 Board are Executive Committee Members: First Vice President Mark Woody, president of Palfinger North America (Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada); Second Vice President Jeffrey Messer, president of Messer Truck Equipment (Westbrook, Maine); Third Vice President and Treasurer Matt Wilson, president of Switch-N-Go, AmeriDeck & Bucks Divisions of Deist Industries, Inc. (Hadley, Pa.); and Secretary Steve Carey, executive director of NTEA.

It’s hard to believe that just five years ago, Nissan, a global player in commercial vehicle markets had a net presence of zero in North America.

It’s a different scenario today. WIth the successful launch of both a full-sized commerical van and the from-scratch establishment of a commerical-focused dealer network, you’d think the Nissan team would want to rest on their laurels. Or at least take a little break.

But no. The company is jumping feet-first into the burgeoning compact U.S. commercial van market at the Work Truck Show with the launch of its new NV200 compact van.

Joe Castelli, vice president of Nissan’s commercial van business, is quick to note that the NV200 is not a revamped mini-van platform. It’s a commercial van that Nissan sells in both Europe and Asia – tweaked with a few modifications for the U.S. market. “We had to move the B-pillar back to conform with U.S. Side Impact Crash Standards,” Castelli notes. “But that just ended up giving us 8 more inches of leg room up front and cargo room in the back. Additionally, although we sell the NV200 with a small diesel engine standard overseas, we’ll  be offering it in North America with a 2-liter, four-cylinder gasoline engine that logs 24 mpg in combined city and highway driving.”

Castelli notes that the compact van market largely didn’t exist either a few years ago, but is now moving around 40,000 units a year. He thinks the NV200′s $19,990 base price tag will be a highly attractive alternative to customers who don’t need a larger, more expensive commercial van, but historically have not had a lot of smaller options to choose from.

Some high-profile buzz never hurts, either. And so it’s with pride that Castelli notes that the NV200 has been chosen as the next New York City Taxicab platform – an achievement that has given Nissan significant global exposure while ensuring a contracted purchase of 2,500 NV200s a year for 10 years.

“Things today are evolving,” Castelli says. “Ten years ago, you only saw features like GPS navigation, Bluetooth and backup cameras on high-end luxury cars. And today we’re able to offer them on our compact work van for under $20,000. We’re able to offer a lot of capability at a very attractive price – and I think that’s going to be a big winner for us.”

Jack Roberts is executive editor of trucks/truck equipment for Randall-Reilly, parent company of Better Roads.

INDIANAPOLIS–Ford  Motor Co.‘s introduced on March 7 its all-new Transit chassis cab and cutaway models, which the company says is engineered to tackle an almost unlimited variety of specialized jobs and vocations. Ford also unveiled the next-generation Transit Connect compact van/wagon.

Tim Stoehr, commercial truck marketing manager for Ford, says the Transit Connect jumped-started the compact van market in the United States and this next-generation model will build and improve on that legacy. The new model will have  choice of 105- or 121-inch wheelbases as well as “best in class load length and cargo volume.”

A new tow package will allowing trailering payloads of up to 2,000 pounds. Base power for the Transit Connect will be a 2.5 liter engine with a fuel efficient 1.6 liter four-cylinder available as an option. Both van and wagon versions have a payload capacity in excess of 1,670 pounds. Both models are designed for easy LNG/CNG conversion. CNG/LPG engine prep from the Ford factory costs approximately $325 before the customer chooses a partner to supply fuel tanks, fuel lines and unique fuel injectors. Upfits run about $9,500 to $12,500, depending on fuel tank capacity.

The larger, more powerful Transit van marks a new day for Ford commerical vehicles — a clear European design that is a marked departure from the “Scooby Doo Mystery Machine” box vans that have dominated the North American market for the better part of the last four decades.

According to Chris Brewer, chief engineer, commerical vehicles, says Ford will  will offer Transit in a range of full-size vans, wagons, cutaway, and chassis cab models powered by a 3.7-liter V6 equipped with a CNG/LPG prep kit.

Transit will be offered with a range of fuel-efficient engines, including a standard 3.7-liter V6, and the same 3.5-liter EcoBoost engine found in the Ford F-150, as well as an all-new 3.2-liter Power Stroke Diesel option.

Additionally, Ford will offer the Transit 3.7-liter V6 with a compressed natural gas/liquid propane gas (CNG/LPG) prep kit. This 3.7-liter V6 is also engineered for optimal performance with E85 flex- fuel capability.

Each fuel-conscious engine is paired with a six-speed automatic transmission for efficient rear-wheel-drive operation.

In addition to the standard van configuration, Ford also introduced a highly-adaptable Transit chassis cab model, which  features an enclosed passenger compartment and bare frame ready to accept aftermarket body modules ranging from custom cargo delivery to utility body. Transit cutaway is similar to the chassis cab, but with the rear of the passenger compartment open so it can be paired with specialty body modules such as shuttle or school bus bodies.

The chassis cab and cutaway will be offered in three wheelbases, 1next generation 38, 156 or 178 inches, and gross vehicle weight ratings from 9,000 pounds to 10,360 pounds.

Jack Roberts is executive editor of trucks/truck equipment for Randall-Reilly, parent company of Better Roads.

Moreover, according to Claus Tritt, vice president of operations for Daimler Vans, Mercedes is actively growing its portion of the business, which he describes as being distinctly different from a “typical” Freightliner customer. Tritt says most Freightliner customers are (obviously) involved in trucking and tend to want Sprinter vans as support vehicles in fleet operations. The typical Mercedes Benz customer tends to be a successful small business owner looking for high-profile commercial vehicle to promote and advance their businesses.

Tritt notes that 2011 saw Sprinter log its highest volume of units sold in North America, with over 21,000 vans rolling off of dealer lots. And he believes that number will grow in coming years as Mercedes aggressively adds dealerships and continues to optimize and refine the van itself.

Crucial to its success, Tritt says, are a number of key factors that are contributing to this successful run, including a recent SAE Type II fuel test that demonstrated 24.9 mpg on highway with the Sprinter’s V-6 Diesel engine. Other key attributes include a 6-foot, 4-inch high interior, 547 cubic feet of cargo space and a payload capacity of up to 5,415 pounds.

Tritt concedes that compared to other vans available on the U.S. market today, Sprinter has a premium price point. But he believes that most Sprinter buyers are more sophisticated and tend to look at overall cost of ownership when making their buying decision. “When you look at specifics such as fuel economy, parts availability, dealer support and other critical factors over the life of the vehicle,” he notes, “You see that Sprinter is a really good value proposition.”

Jack Roberts is executive editor of trucks/truck equipment for Randall-Reilly, parent company of Better Roads. 

Sortimo, in conjunction with Knapheid and Bosch Tools, has a new, modular tool storage system design specifically to work with Bosch tools. They introduced the SimplEco system on March 7 at the Work Truck Show in Indianapolis.

The lightweight, shelving system is designed for use in commercial vans. It is made from a crash-tested, composite material and comes in 12 shelving options in three widths and two different depths.

Jack Roberts is executive editor of trucks/truck equipment for Randall-Reilly, parent company to Better Roads.