Heavy Duty Trucking, November 2018

FORD While Ford is expected to soon roll out a new edition of its Transit full size van the company says the current model boasts a range of enhancements that includes an increase in the standard rear door hinge opening angle on the 148 inch wheelbase model from 237 degrees to 253 degrees Also new are available running boards on chassis cab cutaway versions The rear recovery eye feature is now standard on both cargo and passenger vans and a new high strength laminated side glass is available for some configurations Fleet customers can option white steel wheels with exposed lug nuts for dual rear wheel vans Options on the Transit Connect compact van now include the first diesel engine available while a new 15L EcoBlue turbocharged direct injection diesel is due out in 2019 Engines feature standard Auto Start Stop and are paired with a new 8 speed SelectShift automatic transmission Fleet customers can opt for a 25L iVCT I 4 gas engine with CNG LPG gaseous fuel prep package For 2019 the F Series Super Duty carries over its high strength steel frame and aluminum alloy body choice of 62L gas or 67L Power Stroke diesel and TorqShift 6 speed transmission Newly offered is optional FordPassConnect embedded 4G LTE modem said to add greater connectivity Ford which offers medium duty trucks that span Class 7 notes that its near term future commercial vehicle plans include rolling out a new Transit with 4G LTE connectivity extending production of its E Series cutaway and stripped chassis into the 2020s and offering automatic emergency braking lane departure warning Driver Alert System and other advanced technologies on future E Series F 650 F 750 and F59 chassis vehicles FREIGHTLINER The Detroit DD5 and Detroit DD8 midrange diesels are available for specing on Freightliner M2 106 medium duty trucks The DD8 is engineered to be a low maintenance higher torque and higher horsepower option for fleets operating in construction dump mixer plow and other tough duty applications The DD5 is designed for typical urban applications such as last mile and P D These engines boast industry leading maintenance intervals and come standard with Detroit Connect Virtual Technician remote diagnostic service says Kelly Gedert director of product marketing Freightliner Trucks and Detroit Components The engines also help medium duty customers achieve maximum uptime with proprietary variable cam phasing which enables more efficient aftertreatment system performance At low engine speeds the exhaust timing can adjust and open the exhaust valves earlier in the operating cycle This causes warmer exhaust to be pushed in the direction of the aftertreatment system And this allows for effective DPF regenerations increasing uptime with reliable operation of the aftertreatment system The DD8 launched at this years Work Truck Show expands on the Detroit medium duty platform that was rolled out last year with the DD5 Daimler says the DD8 will feature both engine and transmission power take off options The newer engines will initially be available in the Freightliner M2 106 108SD and 114SD models Trucks powered by the DD8 will also feature Detroit Connect Virtual Technician remote diagnostic service Daimler says Virtual Technician helps fleets make informed maintenance decisions so vehicles are only serviced when needed Should a vehicle need to go into the shop Virtual Technician backed by experts at the Detroit Customer Support Center will provide access to in depth information to help improve uptime NOVEMBER 2018 HDT 63 WWW TRUCKINGINFO COM PHOTO DAIMLER TRUCKS NORTH AMERICA PHOTO FORD