kscarbel2

Okay. We all have different taste, but I'm sensing you like the clean appearance of a traditional looking truck. I like the Cascadia Evoluton with the "new" DD15 a lot, but not for a low-boy application. The standard Cascadia maybe. But after what you just said, I suggest a Peterbilt 367 spec'd as a tractor. Set-forward or set-back steer axle......that's up to you. There are very few traditional design trucks built today, but Peterbilt still offers the 367. The DAF engine is good. If you went to Denton, Texas and toured the Peterbilt plant, and met the people behind the product, I know that you would seriously consider buying the 367. .

Your application is on-road long haul with a sleeper box, right ?

I don't care for the new Kenworth design theme either. Paccar's engines, designed by its Dutch truckmaker subsidiary DAF, are okay. I'm not excited about Cummins' ISX either. They gets the job done, but not cutting edge tech. The Freightliner Cascadia, designed by Germany's Daimler, is arguably the most advanced design truck in the US market today. And there's little argument that its Detroit engine is the best currently available in the US market. It's a very efficient truck. If your aim is to make money.......... Your application is on-road long haul with a sleeper box, right ?

Let's discuss a different strategy. The day of the small dealer has passed. Mega truck dealers are now all the rage. Consider trading your Mack in to a mega dealer that sells Mack AND other truck brands, Typically, you can buy a Kenworth, Freightliner or other from a dealer group that includes those brands, and they'll pass your Mack on to their Mack location. I don't like this new mega-dealer age. But for you, it provides more options. Many here can tell you that Kenworths are selling like hotcakes right now. And Bullhusk and others will tell you that Detroit has the best engine going right now.

If You Own a 2.0L VW Diesel Car, Here’s How Much Money You Can Expect Car & Driver / July 28, 2016 Volkswagen diesel owners, you’re one step closer to receiving compensation for your emissions-regulation-cheating TDI-badged VW or Audi. With the VW Group’s settlement plan getting preliminary approval, the company can begin collecting information to compensate TDI drivers as outlined by the United States District Court for the Northern District of California. The compensation numbers are specific to individuals who purchased or leased a 2.0-liter diesel 2009–2015 Volkswagen Jetta, 2009–2014 Volkswagen Jetta SportWagen, 2010–2015 Volkswagen Golf, 2012–2015 Volkswagen Passat, 2013–2015 Volkswagen Beetle, 2015 Volkswagen Golf SportWagen, or 2010–2015 Audi A3 on or before September 18, 2015. (Note that a solution for owners of VW Group models with the 3.0-liter diesel V-6 is still pending.) Compensation figures are divided into three categories: buyback compensation, emissions-modification compensation, and lease compensation. Buyback Compensation According to the court, consumers who choose to receive compensation via buyback will be given the September 2015 National Automobile Dealer Association (NADA) “clean” trade-in-value figure for their vehicle after adjustment for mileage and options, as well as additional compensation in the form of “owner restitution,” defined as $2986.73 plus one-fifth of the car’s value. The court adds that no affected Volkswagen owner will receive less than $5100 in restitution. In the case of vehicles originally purchased before September 18, 2015, but sold to another individual before June 28, 2016, Volkswagen will split restitution payments evenly between the original owner and the vehicle’s current owner, although the original owner will need to identify him- or herself by September 16, 2016. Expected buyback compensation figures to owners under the class-action settlement, including owner restitution, for each affected model are below. Note that the court acknowledges that owners of vehicles with lower or higher than “standard” mileage may receive more or less than what’s listed, adding that if a vehicle owner’s “payment is subject to a mileage adjustment, the amount [he or she] receives may be different from what is shown below, but not less than $5100.” 2009 VW Jetta Sedan TDI $12,475 – $14,025 VW Jetta SportWagen TDI $13,600 – $15,125 2010 Audi A3 TDI Premium $18,947 – $20,627 Audi A3 TDI Premium Plus $20,627 – $23,267 VW Golf Hatchback 2D TDI $15,025 – $16,877 VW Golf Hatchback 4D TDI $15,500 – $17,447 VW Jetta Sedan TDI $13,675 – $15,350 VW Jetta Sedan TDI Cup Street Edition $15,625 – $17,087 VW Jetta SportWagen TDI $14,775 – $16,607 2011 Audi A3 TDI Premium $21,287 – $23,267 Audi A3 TDI Premium Plus $23,297 – $26,867 VW Golf Hatchback 2D TDI $17,657 – $19,817 VW Golf Hatchback 4D TDI $18,497 – $20,657 VW Jetta Sedan TDI $16,217 – $18,347 VW Jetta SportWagen TDI $18,227 – $20,357 2012 Audi A3 TDI Premium $23,717 – $25,727 Audi A3 TDI Premium Plus $26,357 – $30,077 VW Golf Hatchback 2D TDI $19,457 – $21,707 VW Golf Hatchback 4D TDI $20,267 – $22,517 VW Jetta Sedan TDI $18,317 – $20,867 VW Jetta SportWagen TDI $19,907 – $22,097 VW Passat Sedan SE TDI $19,007 – $21,467 VW Passat Sedan SEL TDI $23,267 – $23,387 2013 Audi A3 TDI Premium $25,517 – $27,647 Audi A3 TDI Premium Plus $29,357 – $33,287 VW Beetle Coupe TDI $20,627 – $23,447 VW Beetle Convertible TDI $24,047 – $26,147 VW Golf Hatchback 2D TDI $20,657 – $23,117 VW Golf Hatchback 4D TDI $21,377 – $23,837 VW Jetta Sedan TDI $20,777 – $23,897 VW Jetta SportWagen TDI $23,357 – $25,727 VW Passat Sedan SE TDI $21,587 – $24,257 VW Passat Sedan SEL TDI $26,807 – $26,927 2014 VW Beetle Coupe TDI $22,907 – $25,847 VW Beetle Convertible TDI $27,047 – $29,237 VW Golf Hatchback 4D TDI $23,957 – $26,177 VW Jetta Sedan TDI $21,137 – $26,117 VW Jetta SportWagen TDI $26,657 – $29,117 VW Passat Sedan SE TDI $26,117 – $28,877 VW Passat Sedan SEL TDI $28,847 – $28,967 2015 Audi A3 TDI Premium $31,805 – $39,413 Audi A3 TDI Premium Plus $34,064 – $43,998 Audi A3 TDI Prestige $39,076 – $44,176 VW Beetle Coupe TDI $24,156 – $31,686 VW Beetle Convertible TDI $27,937 – $33,835 VW Golf Hatchback 4D TDI S $21,806 – $26,700 VW Golf Hatchback 4D TDI SE $24,022 – $29,306 VW Golf Hatchback 4D TDI SEL $24,022 – $31,728 VW Golf SportWagen TDI S $24,043 – $28,588 VW Golf SportWagen TDI SE $26,282 – $30,743 VW Golf SportWagen TDI SEL $24,022 – $32,876 VW Jetta Sedan TDI S $21,410 – $24,696 VW Jetta Sedan TDI SE $22,800 – $26,458 VW Jetta Sedan TDI SEL $24,809 – $30,149 VW Passat Sedan TDI SE $28,367 – $31,127 VW Passat Sedan TDI SEL $32,747 – $32,867 Emissions Modification Compensation Consumers who elect to keep their vehicle but have Volkswagen modify their car to meet emissions standards will receive the same expected restitution offered to consumers opting to have their vehicle bought back, plus free installation of any necessary modifications. Volkswagen has yet to find a viable modification for its vehicles, and the court notes that it may take until May 1, 2018 for such a system to be approved for installation. Should the company fail to find an approved solution, owners will have until June 1, 2018 to accept Volkswagen’s buyback offer. 2009 VW Jetta Sedan TDI $5100 – $5100 VW Jetta SportWagen TDI $5100 – $5100 2010 Audi A3 TDI Premium $5647 – $5927 Audi A3 TDI Premium Plus $5927 – $6367 VW Golf Hatchback 2D TDI $5100 – $5302 VW Golf Hatchback 4D TDI $5100 – $5397 VW Jetta Sedan TDI $5100 – $5100 VW Jetta Sedan TDI Cup Street Edition $5100 – $5337 VW Jetta SportWagen TDI $5100 – $5257 2011 Audi A3 TDI Premium $6037 – $6367 Audi A3 TDI Premium Plus $6372 – $6967 VW Golf Hatchback 2D TDI $5432 – $5792 VW Golf Hatchback 4D TDI $5572 – $5932 VW Jetta Sedan TDI $5192 – $5547 VW Jetta SportWagen TDI $5527 – $5882 2012 Audi A3 TDI Premium $6442 – $6777 Audi A3 TDI Premium Plus $6882 – $7502 VW Golf Hatchback 2D TDI $5732 – $6107 VW Golf Hatchback 4D TDI $5867 – $6242 VW Jetta Sedan TDI $5542 – $5967 VW Jetta SportWagen TDI $5807 – $6172 VW Passat Sedan SE TDI $5657 – $6067 VW Passat Sedan SEL TDI $6367 – $6387 2013 Audi A3 TDI Premium $6742 – $7097 Audi A3 TDI Premium Plus $7382 – $8037 VW Beetle Coupe TDI $5927 – $6397 VW Beetle Convertible TDI $6497 – $6847 VW Golf Hatchback 2D TDI $5932 – $6342 VW Golf Hatchback 4D TDI $6052 – $6462 VW Jetta Sedan TDI $5952 – $6472 VW Jetta SportWagen TDI $6382 – $6777 VW Passat Sedan SE TDI $6087 – $6532 VW Passat Sedan SEL TDI $6957 – $6977 2014 VW Beetle Coupe TDI $6307 – $6797 VW Beetle Convertible TDI $6997 – $7362 VW Golf Hatchback 4D TDI $6482 – $6852 VW Jetta Sedan TDI $6012 – $6842 VW Jetta SportWagen TDI $6932 – $7342 VW Passat Sedan SE TDI $6842 – $7302 VW Passat Sedan SEL TDI $7297 – $7317 2015 Audi A3 TDI Premium $7790 – $9058 Audi A3 TDI Premium Plus $8166 – $9822 Audi A3 TDI Prestige $9002 – $9852 VW Beetle Coupe TDI $6515 – $7770 VW Beetle Convertible TDI $7145 – $8128 VW Golf Hatchback 4D TDI S $6123 – $6939 VW Golf Hatchback 4D TDI SE $6493 – $7373 VW Golf Hatchback 4D TDI SEL $6493 – $7777 VW Golf SportWagen TDI S $6496 – $7254 VW Golf SportWagen TDI SE $6869 – $7613 VW Golf SportWagen TDI SEL $6493 – $7968 VW Jetta Sedan TDI S $6057 – $6605 VW Jetta Sedan TDI SE $6289 – $6899 VW Jetta Sedan TDI SEL $6624 – $7514 VW Passat Sedan TDI SE $7217 – $7677 VW Passat Sedan TDI SEL $7947 – $7967 Lease Compensation Those leasing an affected vehicle can have their lease terminated early at no charge and receive restitution that’s roughly half of the anticipated restitution that owners will receive. 2011 VW Jetta Sedan TDI $2634 – $2807 VW Jetta SportWagen TDI $ 2877 – $2922 2012 Audi A3 TDI Premium $3287 – $3344 Audi A3 TDI Premium Plus $3534 – $3782 VW Golf Hatchback 2D TDI $2902 – $3062 VW Golf Hatchback 4D TDI $2969 – $3157 VW Jetta Sedan TDI $2807 – $3019 VW Jetta SportWagen TDI $2939 – $3122 VW Passat Sedan SE TDI $2864 – $3069 VW Passat Sedan SEL TDI $3219 – $3229 2013 Audi A3 TDI Premium $3439 – $3519 Audi A3 TDI Premium Plus $3729 – $4052 VW Beetle Coupe TDI $2999 – $3234 VW Beetle Convertible TDI $3284 – $3459 VW Golf Hatchback 2D TDI $3002 – $3207 VW Golf Hatchback 4D TDI $3062 – $3267 VW Jetta Sedan TDI $3012 – $3272 VW Jetta SportWagen TDI $3227 – $3424 VW Passat Sedan SE TDI $3079 – $3302 VW Passat Sedan SEL TDI $3514 – $3524 2014 VW Beetle Coupe TDI $3189 – $3434 VW Beetle Convertible TDI $3537 – $3717 VW Golf Hatchback 4D TDI $3277 – $3462 VW Jetta Sedan TDI $3042 – $3457 VW Jetta SportWagen TDI $3502 – $3707 VW Passat Sedan SE TDI $3457 – $3687 VW Passat Sedan SEL TDI $3684 – $3694 2015 Audi A3 TDI Premium $3931 – $4616 Audi A3 TDI Premium Plus $4122 – $4955 Audi A3 TDI Prestige $4536 – $4899 VW Beetle Coupe TDI $3314 – $3915 VW Beetle Convertible TDI $3650 – $4052 VW Golf Hatchback 4D TDI S $3064 – $3364 VW Golf Hatchback 4D TDI SE $3348 – $3689 VW Golf Hatchback 4D TDI SEL $3553 – $3886 VW Golf SportWagen TDI S $3284 – $3471 VW Golf SportWagen TDI SE $3528 – $3834 VW Golf SportWagen TDI SEL $3713 – $4008 VW Jetta Sedan TDI S $3064 – $3446 VW Jetta Sedan TDI SE $3239 – $3468 VW Jetta Sedan TDI SEL $3406 – $3755 VW Passat Sedan TDI SE $3644 – $3874 VW Passat Sedan TDI SEL $4009 – $4019 Final approval of the class-action settlement is set for October 18, 2016. TDI owners and lessees can go to www.vwcourtsettlement.com to see if their specific vehicle is covered by the settlement.

That piece of history absolutely needs to be saved.

So trade it in on one of the new Macks with common rail injection. Officially, Volvo is saying: The new common rail D13 enters production this October, the new D11 next January, and the new D13 with turbo-compounding mid-2017. I know dealers with new D13s due in. What size engine do you want?

If this truck is a Mack or Volvo with the current unit pump injection system, I wouldn't buy it. I'd specify a new one with the common rail system. Volvo's Delphi-supplied common rail system is the worst in the US market, but it's better than the current Delphi-supplied unit pump injection system.

A demo is a truck provided to prospective customers in hopes of generating a sale. However, that dealer put the truck to work for themselves, as if they'd purchased it for internal use, in the service of transporting new trailers from their supplier. In doing so, they made it a used truck. Granted low miles, but in a court of law, it could be easily argued that they put this truck to work. Anyway, you don't want to buy a Mack or Volvo with the current unit pump injection system. If you want Mack/Volvo, insist on the new common rail system.

Bloomberg / July 28, 2016 Oshkosh Corp. rose the most in three months after the maker of emergency, commercial and military trucks posted fiscal third-quarter results that beat analysts’ estimates and increased its full-year forecasts for sales and profit. The shares climbed 6.6 percent to $52 at 10:37 a.m. in New York after gaining as much as 6.8 percent, the most intraday since April 28. They were up 25 percent this year through Wednesday. Oshkosh benefited from higher sales, earnings and profit margins for defense and for fire and emergency equipment. The company reported earnings of $1.13 a share and sales of $1.75 billion for the quarter ended June 30, compared with average estimates of $1 a share and $1.61 billion compiled by Bloomberg. The truck maker raised its full-year profit forecasts to $2.60 to $2.80 a share, from $2.30 to $2.70 in April. Oshkosh also boosted its sales outlook to $6 billion to $6.1 billion, from $5.7 billion to $6 billion.

I have nothing against the man. But why is the U.S. Navy abandoning the United States ship naming conventions, a ship naming policy by executive order of President Theodore Roosevelt in 1907 ??? Teddy Roosevelt’s executive order dictates that fleet oilers be named for rivers with Native American names (For a time, fleet oilers were named for shipbuilders and marine and aeronautical engineers). I don’t recall the American people approving a policy change. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Traditional conventions Battleships (BB), by law, were named for states, except for USS Kearsarge (BB-5). Battlecruisers (CC) under the 1916 program were to receive names of battles or famous ships. When cancelled under the Washington Naval Treaty, two were converted to aircraft carriers (CV), and this became the standard for them, with the exception of USS Franklin D. Roosevelt (CVB-42), USS Wright (CVL-49), USS Forrestal (CVA-59), and USS Kitty Hawk (CVA-63); some had names evoking flight (e.g., Wasp, Hornet).[2][3] "Battlecruisers" or Large Cruisers (CB) under the 1940 program were named for United States Territories. Cruisers, both light and heavy (CL and CA), were named for cities in the United States and Territories, with the exception of USS Canberra (CA-70). After the first nuclear-powered guided missile cruiser, USS Long Beach (CGN-9),[4] CGN's of the California and Virginia classes were named for states. (USS Bainbridge and USS Truxtun were commissioned as frigates). Destroyers (DD) and destroyer escorts (DE) were named for Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard heroes. Destroyer Leaders (DL) were likewise named after naval heroes; these were reclassified as cruisers or destroyers in 1975. Frigates (FF), formerly ocean escorts, were also named for naval heroes. Submarines (SS and SSN) were either given a class letter and number, as in S-class submarines, or the names of fish and marine mammals. Oilers (AO and AOR) were named for rivers with Native American names, and colliers named for mythical figures. Fast combat support ships (AOE) were named after US cities. Ammunition ships (AE) were named either after volcanoes (e.g. Mauna Loa) or words relating to fire and explosions (e.g. Nitro and Pyro). Combat stores ships (AK, AF, and AFS) were named after stars and other heavenly bodies. Minesweepers (MS) were named for birds, or after "positive traits," e.g. Admirable and Dextrous. Hospital ships (AH) were given names related to their function, such as Comfort and Mercy. Fleet tugs (AT) and harbor tugs (YT) were named after American Indian tribes. The first forty-one nuclear ballistic missile submarines (SSBN) (called "boomers") were named after historical statesmen considered "Great Americans." Contemporary ship naming conventions Aircraft carriers (CV and CVN), have a history various legacy names, mostly battles, until 1968, with the commissioning of USS John F. Kennedy (CV-67). Since then, carriers have been named for American presidents, with the exception of; USS Nimitz (CVN-68), lead ship of her class, named for Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz, commander of all U.S. and Allied naval forces in the Pacific theatre during World War II. USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70), named for a former Congressman, Chairman of the Naval Affairs Committee, Chairman of the successor United States House Committee on Armed Services, a strong supporter of the Navy through the "Vinson Acts" who became known as "The Father of the Two-Ocean Navy". USS John C. Stennis, named for a former United States Senator, President pro tempore of the Senate, Chairman of the United States Senate Committee on Armed Services, and a strong supporter of the navy, who became known as "Father of America's modern navy". USS Enterprise, there is also a continuing exception for this name, first used in 1775, eight ships have carried the name, three of them aircraft carriers (see CV-6 , CVN-65 and CVN-80). Amphibious assault ships (LPH, LHA, and LHD) are named after early American sailing ships, U.S. Marine Corps battles, or legacy names of earlier carriers from World War II. Amphibious command ships (LCC) are named for geographical areas within the U.S. (eg: mountain/ mountain range) Amphibious transport docks (LPD) are named after U.S. cities, with the exception of; USS John P. Murtha (LPD-26), named for a former U.S. Marine Corps Officer, Vietnam veteran, former Congressman and chairman of the United States House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense. USS Mesa Verde (LPD-19), named after Mesa Verde National Park in Colorado. Ballistic missile submarines (SSBN and SSGN) are named after states, except for USS Henry M. Jackson (SSBN-730), named for a former U.S. Senator and strong supporter of the military. Cruisers (CG) are named after battles, with the exception of USS Thomas S. Gates (CG-51), a Ticonderoga-class cruiser named for a former Secretary of Defense. Destroyers (DDG) names are dependent on class; Arleigh Burke class - a class with a planned 76 ships that has retained the traditional naming convention of U.S. Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard heroes, with the exceptions of; USS Winston S. Churchill (DDG-81) named for the renowned Prime Minister of the United Kingdom during World War II, USS Paul Ignatius (DDG-117), named for a former Secretary of the Navy and USS Delbert Black (DDG-119), named for the first Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy. USS Carl M. Levin (DDG-120), named for a former U.S. Senator and Chairman of the Senate Committee on Armed Services. Zumwalt class - (only 3 ships in class); Lead ship USS Zumwalt (DDG-1000), named for the youngest Admiral to serve as Chief of Naval Operations, and who played a significant role during the Vietnam War, 2nd ship USS Michael Monsoor (DDG-1001), named for a former Navy SEAL and Medal of Honor recipient killed in action during the Iraq War, 3rd ship USS Lyndon B. Johnson (DDG-1002), named for a former U.S. president and U.S. Naval officer who was awarded the Silver Star during World War II. Dock landing ships (LSD) are named after cities or important places in U.S. and U.S. Naval history. Dry cargo ships (T-AKE) are named for American explorers, pioneers, activists and U.S. Naval officers. Fast attack submarines (SSN) names are dependent on class; Los Angeles class - named after cities, with the exception of USS Hyman G. Rickover (SSN-709), named for an Admiral who was a pioneer of the nuclear Navy. Seawolf class - (only 3 boats in class); Lead boat USS Seawolf (SSN-21), named for the Atlantic wolffish, and the fourth submarine to carry the name, 2nd boat USS Connecticut (SSN-22) named for a U.S. state, 3rd boat USS Jimmy Carter (SSN-23), named for a former U.S. president, and Naval officer who had served aboard a nuclear submarine. Virginia class, named after U.S. states, with the exception of; USS John Warner (SSN-785), named for a former Secretary of the Navy, U.S. Senator and Chairman of the Senate Committee on Armed Services. USS Hyman G. Rickover (SSN-795), named for an Admiral and pioneer of the nuclear Navy. This is the second boat to carry the name (see SSN-709). Fast combat support ships (AOE) are named for distinguished supply ships of the past. Frigates (FFG) retain their traditional naming conventions after U.S. Navy, U.S. Marine Corps, and U.S. Coast Guard heroes. Littoral combat ships (LCS) are named for regionally-important U.S. cities and communities.[5] Exceptions are the lead ships of the first two classes for this type; USS Freedom (LCS-1), lead ship of her class, named for the concept of freedom and, USS Independence (LCS-2), lead ship of her class, named for the concept of independence. Another exception among the Independence-class is; USS Gabrielle Giffords (LCS-10), named for a former Congresswoman, member of the United States House Committee on Armed Services and survivor of an assassination attempt. Mine countermeasures ships (MCM) have mostly legacy names of previous U.S. Navy ships, especially WWII-era minesweepers. Patrol boats (PC) have names based on weather phenomena. Replenishment oilers (T-AO) were named for shipbuilders and marine and aeronautical engineers, but have returned to the older convention of river names.

The Guardian / July 28, 2016 The United States navy will name a ship after gay rights icon Harvey Milk, the first openly gay elected official in California, according to a report by US Naval Institute (USNI) News. LGBT activists in San Diego and San Francisco had campaigned for the navy to honor Milk and other LGBT individuals who have served in the armed forces despite being officially banned until 2011. Milk served as a diving officer from 1951 to 1955. He was honorably discharged with the rank of lieutenant junior grade. “When Harvey Milk served in the military, he couldn’t tell anyone who he truly was,” said San Francisco supervisor Scott Wiener, who authored a resolution asking the navy to name a ship after Milk in 2012. “Now our country is telling the men and women who serve, and the entire world, that we honor and support people for who they are.” Other ships in the John Lewis-class of fleet oilers will be named after former supreme court chief justice Earl Warren, Robert F Kennedy, women’s rights activist Lucy Stone, and Sojourner Truth. The John Lewis class is named for civil rights legend and congressman John Lewis of Georgia. Milk moved to San Francisco in 1972, where he lived in the Castro district, owned a camera shop, and advocated for the rights of LGBT people in the growing gay neighborhood. In 1977, he won his election to the San Francisco board of supervisors, becoming the first openly gay elected official in California. One year later, Milk was killed in San Francisco city hall by a former supervisor who also killed the mayor, George Moscone. “Hope is never silent and will be represented in a world port soon via the USNS Harvey Milk,” read a post on the Facebook page of the Harvey Milk Foundation, reacting to the announcement. The push to have Milk honored with a naval ship sparked controversy in San Francisco’s LGBT community in 2012, with some critics citing his opposition to the Vietnam war to argue that he would be better memorialized in other ways. “When I saw the news, what went through my mind is a line from a Leonard Cohen song: ‘I finally broke into the prison, I took my place in the chain’,” said Cleve Jones, an LGBT and labor rights activist who was mentored by Milk. Milk was part of a movement that was “strongly rooted in anti-militarism”, Jones said, so the honor comes with “a bit of irony”. “I came of age when straight men pretended to be gay to get out of the army,” he said. Still, he joked, “I think if Harvey were alive he would be making jokes about providing oil for sailors.”

1990s scandal returns to haunt the Clintons Associated Press / July 28, 2016 A Chinese billionaire at the center of a 20-year-old Clinton foreign donor scandal is being called in to answer questions from Congress about his role in the influence-buying scheme, in a move that could revive yet another Clinton controversy from the 1990s. The House Oversight Committee says it will seek an interview with Ng Lap Seng, 68, who evaded congressional investigators for years. He has now re-appeared in the United States and is being held in New York on “unrelated” bribery charges. Ng, a Macau businessman with ties to the Chinese government, was accused of funneling over $1 million in illegal foreign donations to support Bill Clinton's reelection campaign in 1996. At the time, Ng refused to come to the U.S. to cooperate with congressional investigators in the case, which became a sweeping national scandal and raised suspicions about Chinese government efforts to influence the U.S. election. Congressional investigators say Ng laundered the illegal campaign donations through a close Clinton associate in Arkansas named Charlie Trie during the 1996 election. Trie, who sent the donations to the Democratic National Committee and Clinton's legal defense fund, pleaded guilty to violating campaign finance laws in 1999. The House Oversight Committee said it will take the opportunity to finally question Ng about the foreign donation scheme now that he is under house detention at a $3 million Manhattan apartment, awaiting trial on separate charges that he tried to bribe a top UN official. Then Republican Senator Fred Thompson chaired the committee and said that it found that China's Communist government was involved in a plan 'to pour illegal money into American political campaigns' in an effort to 'subvert our election process'. However, other lawmakers, including Senator Joe Lieberman, said there was not convincing evidence that China was directly involved in the funding. Ng's attorney, Hugh Hu Mo, who has also represented Chinese government entities, said he would oppose any efforts by Congress to question his client. The House Oversight Committee could override this by issuing a subpoena for Ng's testimony. The timing could be a blow to the Clinton campaign, reigniting a decades old foreign corruption scandal just as Hillary Clinton has secured the Democratic presidential nomination. The Clinton Foundation has previously faced scrutiny for accepting millions from foreign governments while Hillary Clinton was secretary of state. The House Oversight Committee's move comes on the heels of a letter from the watchdog group Citizens United, which asked Ng's attorney to make him available for interviews with congress. David Bossie, president of Citizens United, was the former chief investigator for the House Oversight Committee during the foreign donor probe in the late 1990s. He said in a letter to Ng's attorney on Wednesday that the committee had obtained substantial evidence of Ng's involvement in the donation scheme. 'Although Mr. Ng did not cooperate, the Committee's investigation uncovered substantial information about financial transactions involving your client that appear to have been aimed at influencing the outcome of the 1996 presidential election in favor of Bill Clinton,' wrote Bossie. Bossie said that now that Ng is under house arrest in New York, 'I ask that you consider making him available for an interview with Congress to answer questions about his alleged role in influencing the 1996 presidential election.' The letter, which was copied to House Oversight Committee chairman Jason Chaffetz and Senate Judiciary Committee chairman Charles Grassley, also suggested that Congress could grant immunity on the pending bribery charges to Ng 'in exchange for his critical testimony concerning the alleged foreign influence of our nation's sacred presidential election process'. Ng was arrested in New York last year and charged with bringing suitcases of cash into the U.S. to bribe officials, including the former president of the UN general assembly. Prosecutors say the scheme also involved Chinese government officials. John Ashe, 61, the former president of the UN general assembly accused of accepting the bribes from Ng, was allegedly killed by a barbell weight while working out last month. He was also under investigation at the time. In 1997, investigators on the Senate Government Affairs committee said they found evidence linking the Communist Chinese government to the foreign donation scheme. The issue of foreign meddling in US elections has been in the spotlight in recent days, with the Clinton campaign trying to link Donald Trump to the Russian government's suspected role in the recent hack of internal DNC emails. But the Ng case shows that allegations of foreign influence in presidential campaigns is not new, and that outside governments have long been suspected of working to sway outcomes and purchase political influence. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Disgraced ex-UN official’s death ‘conveniently timed’ Reuters / June 26, 2016 The death by barbell of disgraced UN official John Ashe could become a bigger obsession for conspiracy theorists than Vince Foster’s 1993 suicide. Ashe — who was facing trial for tax fraud — died Wednesday afternoon in his house in Westchester County. The UN said he’d had a heart attack. But the local Dobbs Ferry police said Thursday that his throat had been crushed, presumably by a barbell he dropped while pumping iron [or.....it was made to appear that way]. Ashe was due in court Monday with his Chinese businessman co-defendant Ng Lap Seng, who is charged with smuggling $4.5 million into the US since 2013 and lying that it was to buy art and casino chips. Ng was identified in a 1998 Senate report as the source of hundreds of thousands of dollars illegally funneled through an Arkansas restaurant owner, Taiwan-born Charlie Trie, to the Democratic National Committee during the Clinton administration. Ng and Trie had visited the White House several times for Democratic fundraising events and were photographed with then-President Bill Clinton and first lady Hillary Clinton “During the trial, the prosecutors would have linked Ashe to the Clinton bagman Ng. It would have been very embarrassing. His death was conveniently timed,” said one source. Ashe’s lawyer Jeremy Schneider argues that Ashe’s death was an accident. “There is not one iota of evidence that it was homicide. This is nothing at all like Vince Foster.” Police in Dobbs Ferry village are keeping the investigation open pending an autopsy by the Westchester medical examiner. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Chinese Plan to Buy U.S. Influence Alleged The Washington Post / July 9, 1997 The Senate yesterday began long-awaited hearings on the campaign finance improprieties of 1996 with an accusation that the Chinese government is trying to buy influence with American politicians. In the most direct and aggressive statement to date about alleged foreign interference in the U.S. political process, Senator Fred D. Thompson (R-Tenn.) said that investigators from his Governmental Affairs Committee had found evidence of a Chinese plan "designed to pour illegal money into American political campaigns." He said its aim was to "subvert our election process" and that it touched the 1996 presidential campaign and state elections that year. Thompson described the plan as the work of "high-level Chinese government officials" who committed "substantial sums of money" to achieve their goals. "Our investigation suggests the plan continues today," he said. The chairman's opening statement was intended to get the delayed hearings off to a dramatic start and to draw attention to what Republicans hope will be one of the most productive parts of their investigation. Following Thompson, Senator John Glenn (Ohio), the committee's ranking Democrat, also sought a dramatic beginning, disclosing that John Huang, a central figure in the morass of questionable Democratic fund-raising practices during the last election cycle, had agreed to testify before the committee if given a limited grant of immunity from prosecution. Huang, a prolific fund-raiser and former Commerce Department official who some Republicans have suggested may be guilty of espionage, previously had said he would invoke his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination if called before the committee. The panel later voted to pursue his offer, but several members, including Democrats, urged caution and expressed skepticism that a limited immunity agreement could be reached. Glenn also took aim at what he and other Democrats on the panel hope to make as much a focus of attention as Huang – the National Policy Forum established by then-Republican National Committee chairman Haley Barbour, which Glenn charged was "little more than a front for the RNC" that was used to funnel foreign money to the GOP. Yesterday's session was devoted to relatively brief presentations by each of the committee's nine Republicans and seven Democrats. Witnesses will begin appearing this morning, led by Richard Sullivan, the former finance director of the Democratic National Committee, who will be followed by other party officials, White House aides and independent fund-raisers. Thompson provided no specific details about the alleged Chinese plan, saying that the committee would have further discussions about it in closed session. He said the committee's information had been developed along with a continuing FBI investigation. Committee Democrats and White House officials said later they thought Thompson had exaggerated the significance of the Chinese effort. Saying that he has seen the same information as Thompson, Glenn said that Thompson's charges "went a little further than I would choose to go," which was why "I was not willing to sign off" on the statement. Foreign governments routinely engage in lobbying efforts to advance their interests, a legal activity. But contributions to U.S. political candidates by foreign individuals, companies or governments are illegal under U.S. election laws. Led by Thompson, GOP members of the panel focused attention on allegations of widespread campaign finance abuses during the last election cycle by the DNC, the White House and President Clinton's reelection campaign. "There apparently was a systematic influx of illegal money in our presidential race last year," Thompson said. "We will be wanting to know: Who knew about it? Who should have known about it? And was there an attempt to cover it up?" Thompson promised to hold hearings later on broader issues of campaign finance reform such as the growing use of unlimited "soft money" contributions to the two major political parties. But, he added, "we cannot move forward unless we have accountability for the past. We cannot let calls for campaign finance reform act as a shield to prevent examination of the violations of existing law. Otherwise, calls for reform will be viewed as merely partisan and the cause of reform will be hurt, not enhanced." Other Republicans echoed these sentiments. Asserting that "we are here today largely because of an ethical indifference which some in the Democratic National Committee and the White House displayed toward fund-raising in the 1996 presidential campaign," Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) urged Democrats on the panel to "go where the evidence leads." "The White House and others under scrutiny must be more forthcoming," she added. "The president cannot credibly preach the gospel of campaign finance reform unless his aides and supporters are prepared to let the light of day shine on their activities." "Some would suggest . . . we really don't need these hearings, we only need to reform the campaign laws," said Sen. Pete V. Domenici (R-N.M.). "But reforming the laws will not solve the problem if officials are already ignoring or violating those already on the books." But it was precisely broad finance reform that the Democrats most wanted to talk about. If all the committee does is expose illegalities, including the use of foreign money in campaigns, Glenn said, "we will have failed in this investigation, and failed miserably." "The measure of success for this investigation will be whether it produces congressional action for campaign finance reform – substantial reform, not the 'little bit of reform' some in Congress might advocate to reduce public pressure." -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Automotive News / July 28, 2016 Ford Motor Co. today said its second-quarter profit fell 9 percent to $1.97 billion and warned of a “very weak third quarter” as U.S. demand softens and the automaker launches redesigned versions of its heavy-duty pickups. Even with the decline, Ford achieved record net income and margin for a half-year period. But executives said the company was at risk of falling short of its full-year targets and was undertaking a series of “profit improvement actions,” including cuts to manufacturing costs, without being specific. “We delivered another strong quarter -- one of our best second quarters ever -- and record pretax profits for the first half of this year,” CEO Mark Fields said in a statement. “We remain committed to delivering another full year of strong profitability, even as we address some new risks and market challenges around the world.” Revenue in the second quarter increased 6 percent to $39.5 billion. Ford had $4.2 billion in positive automotive cash flow, a record for any quarter. Regional results In North America, Ford posted a pretax profit of $2.7 billion, 5.3 percent lower than the same period last year. Its margin for the region decreased to 11.3 percent from 12.2 percent a year ago. European profits nearly tripled, to $467 million, despite some hits it sustained after the United Kingdom voted to leave the European Union. It was Ford of Europe’s best quarter since 2008. It lost $8 million in Asia Pacific, breaking a streak of 12 consecutive quarters in the black there, though it was profitable in China. “We’re committed to getting to our guidance, but it is at risk,” Ford CFO Bob Shanks told reporters at Ford’s headquarters. Revised U.S. outlook Ford reduced its full-year U.S. sales outlook to between 17.4 million and 17.9 million vehicles, including medium and heavy trucks. Its previous forecast range had a midpoint of 18 million. Most of the new range is below last year’s industry total of 17.8 million units. “We’re starting to see a maturation of the economic cycle,” Shanks said. “We’re at a strong level. I think that will continue.” But, he added, “we don’t see growth in the near term.” Ford listed five actions it is taking to increase profits in the second half. They include reducing costs in manufacturing and other operations, implementing improved “go-to-market plans” in the U.S. and China to bolster revenue, and using analytics to optimize vehicle mix and pricing around the world. In the first half, Shanks said Ford beat its cost targets by $1.6 billion. He said Ford is being negatively affected by lower auction values of used vehicles, which will result in a lower profit for Ford Credit, higher U.S. incentives, a weaker-than-expected China market and the U.K. vote. Brexit In the second quarter, the U.K. vote cost Ford $60 million due to the falling value of the British pound, Shanks said. Ford expects the negative effects of the vote to total about $145 million in the second half of the year. In North America, Ford is launching redesigned Super Duty pickups this fall. The Super Duty is lighter and more powerful than the outgoing model thanks to its new aluminum body. The changeover will not be as disruptive as the F-150 switch last year, but it still will ding Ford’s revenue and profits. “This is the first full redesign in 19 years, so this is a really, really big launch,” Shanks said. “It’s a high-margin vehicle, and this is going to set the vehicle up to be a strong leader for the next decade.”

John Irwin, Automotive News / July 27, 2016 UAW President Dennis Williams faces another potential headache less than a year after a contentious contract ratification process with the Detroit 3: Donald Trump. Blue-collar support for Trump, who won the Republican presidential nomination in part by appealing to workers like those represented by the UAW, could threaten to expose another potential rift between union leadership and some rank-and-file members. One rift was exposed last year when Fiat Chrysler workers soundly rejected an initial deal cut between union leadership and the automaker, when General Motors skilled-trades workers rejected and delayed ratification of a new contract and when leadership narrowly escaped another embarrassing rejection at the hands of Ford workers. Although the UAW was able to secure significant gains with the Detroit 3 -- including an agreement to end the dreaded two-tier wage system -- the contentious ratification process exposed a significant gap between the priorities of union leadership and a large share of workers. Now, Trump could expose another gap, and Williams says he and union leaders are doing everything in their power to keep that from happening. Recent polls show blue-collar workers, especially white workers, supporting Trump by large margins. That could give Trump an advantage in the UAW’s home in the Rust Belt, where blue-collar voters typically lean Democratic but can be persuaded to vote Republican if a message resonates. (See: Ronald Reagan in 1980 and 1984.) Trump has tapped into blue-collar workers’ often legitimate fears about globalization and free-trade deals such as the North American Free Trade Agreement and the proposed Trans-Pacific Partnership. Many voters, especially those without college degrees and those who work in manufacturing, feel as though Washington has left them behind over the last few decades as jobs moved out of the country and wages stagnated. Trump, who, to be sure, has also built his campaign on inflammatory rhetoric, racial resentment and xenophobia, has largely avoided specifics about how he would craft better trade deals. And, as Williams has pointed out, Trump has said things that could be unflattering to the average worker, suggesting that wages are too high and saying automakers should move production toward lower-wage states. But that doesn’t seem to matter to many blue-collar voters. When presented with an option between Trump and Hillary Clinton -- an establishment politician who previously supported TPP before backtracking and whose husband signed NAFTA into law -- many of these workers are siding with the former reality TV star. Williams, speaking with reporters Tuesday on a conference call from the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia, said the UAW would do everything it could to ensure Clinton becomes president and gets the support of as many union members as possible. Williams said Clinton “made every indication” during a sit-down with her that she would renegotiate NAFTA as president, which Williams said would help win over UAW members reluctant to support her. Williams also said the union has begun “engaging” workers on the election and has promised to knock on doors in each of the states the UAW is located. “We believe that … the more we educate our members, the more they will support Hillary Clinton,” he said. That engagement appears to be showing signs of working, if what Williams said is any indication. Williams said he estimates between 18 and 19 percent of UAW members support Trump today, down from the 28 percent of workers an internal poll found several months ago. If those numbers are accurate, it is an encouraging sign that the UAW leadership is more effectively communicating with its members than it was last year, when Williams admitted the union was caught off guard by anti-ratification workers on social media. But as last year showed, UAW leadership cannot afford to get complacent on messaging. Otherwise, if Trump rides on the support of enough blue-collar workers into office, that gap between leadership and some members could shut the union out of the White House for four or eight years.

The 2017 Super-Duty is getting the F-150 cab. Which is to say, the F-150 thru the F-550 will use the same (aluminum) cab. Look above a few post for the article " 2017 Ford Super Duty Pickups to Use F-150 Aluminum Cabs ". Bob says a new purpose-built medium truck cab (really all-new?) is rumored for the relatively low volume F-650/750. But I suspect, having just revamped the F-650/750 for the 2016 model year coinciding with the production location move from Escobedo to Avon Lake, I think the F-650/750 will continue to use the steel Super-Duty cab for 3-5 more years. With Ford's propaganda position that the 2016MY F-650/750 was all-new (it wasn't), I expect Ford to run with it a while. I just don't see a deep interest, a willingness to make serious investment, in medium (and heavy) U.S. market truck product. Ford's bean counters know that equal investment elsewhere, e.g. pickups and SUVs, nets a far larger return. The truck business is a labor of love, and Ford's investors are focused on returns. But if the chicken tax (Lyndon Johnson's Proclamation 3564) is ever finally cancelled, Ford could import Cargo medium (and heavy) trucks from existing global production facilities at minimal expense. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- I don't care for grille styling on the 2017 Super-Duty. Reminds me of a Ford Flex. If you measure the American pickup front to rear, and consider the distance allotted for the engine compartment, distance for the cabin, and then what's left for cargo space (the truck's intended purpose in life), it couldn't be more inefficient. Snow plow users aside, it's virtually impossible by design to get much weight distribution onto the steer axle (with the best-selling extended and crew cabs). With massive tall, vertical grilles, today's modern pickup has the dimensions and aerodynamics of a brick. In a sense, unlike other types of vehicles, pickup truck design has failed to evolve.

CAT Trucks Australia / Navistar Auspac Press Release / July 28, 2016 A show-groomed gold painted Cat Truck CT630SC is the flagship of a Brisbane-based transport company and owner Geoff Bannerman is over the moon. Geoff heads up Mid Western Cargo and Northern Transport Hire, contract tow operators and truck-trailer hire service providers. The purchase of the CT630SC with its length-sensitive but luxurious 40″ bunk and powerful Cat C15 15-litre power plant came after an extended flirtation with the idea of going Cat. “I read in an American magazine about a trucking company that ran a fleet of 650 vehicles that were predominantly Navistar. This was a deciding factor in coming over to Cat Trucks and their full-on product,” Geoff Bannerman said. Following a hundred years of family tradition in road transport, Geoff got his first truck in 2000 and pushed out on his own. Based in south-east Queensland, that first truck was powered by a Cat engine and Geoff was taken by the engine and the service from Hastings Deering. “That engine ran more than 1,000,000 km in less than four years and did 1.6 million km before its first rebuild.” Today the Bannerman fleets have built up to 14 prime movers, with Mid Western Cargo supplying units in contract tow operations with east coast fleets, and the Northern Transport Hire runs vehicles with refrigerated freight and Geoff Bannerman is building the truck/trailer hire side of that business. Geoff first considered the purchase of a Cat Truck a couple of years ago but at that time he decided to go with a competitor, a decision that he has not been happy with. “So we went back to Cat Trucks and said we’d like to have another go at it. Hastings Deering bent over backwards to try to help us out and we purchased the gold truck,” he said. The CT630SC did the rounds as an upfront show truck for Cat Trucks in 2015 and now is the fleet leader in the Bannerman operation. The Cat Truck is powered by the proven Cat C15 15-litre engine rated at 550 hp. It runs through an 18 speed Road Ranger transmission, has the luxury cab but still meets b-double specifications. “We were happy with the truck from the start. Loaded heavy with fridge freight, we ran in Melbourne Sydney and return when we first got the truck and used 800 litres for the round trip, more than competitive with our other trucks.” A big factor in the decision to invest in the Cat Truck was the service Geoff had been receiving from Hastings Deering – and the lack of service and repair turnaround times from the competition were taking too long. “These fellas seem to want to look after you. It’s nice to receive a phone call when they say they are going to ring. The backup service from Hastings Deering here in Brisbane has been remarkable.” Geoff Bannerman said that the new CT630SC is more than meeting his expectations. “In the future we will be swinging towards Cat Trucks. I’m very happy with their products and I can’t crow enough about the truck.” .

Rob McKay, Australasian Transport News (ATN) / July 27, 2016 What if they held a trucking industry and no drivers turned up? Sorry, there seems to have been a reduction in the number of trucks on the road taking place. Oh, and there will be fewer of them in future. Must have something to do with higher productivity vehicles ... or something. What’s that you say? The forecasts are for exactly the opposite? That’s despite the boom growth HPVs and hundreds of thousands of extra kilometres of bitumen being open to them? Ah! So that HPV (High Productivity Vehicle) bit is wrong but the forecast is right. Must be. Because, like Port of Melbourne’s five per cent container throughput growth, it always has been. Half right or not at all? Did I do it again? If you say so. The thing is, the truck numbers have to go down. Why? Well because there’ll be no one to drive them. Just like in the good ol’, bad ol’, for many trucking companies there, good ol’ US of A. Haven’t you heard that everything the Americans do, we do a few years down the track? You know, like reality shows and neo-conservatism. OK, yes it’s true and I’m surprised someone of your tender years knows of it, but we did allow Joh Bjelke-Petersen’s tilt at Canberra bog in the Tweed mud. Though there’s no guarantee the major parties won’t be Trumped at some stage. That’s "at some stage", this is now! Why not do a little study if you’re going to continue this conversation? Start with Truck Driver Shortage Analysis 2015. It was put together by American Trucking Associations experts – chief economist and senior vice president Bob Costello and economic analyst Rod Suarez, no less. What’s it say? Look, its only 12 pages. That’s not a burden. But you say it is because what little spare time you have is being taken up in a difficult search for good drivers. Good drivers? You don’t ask for much... or are you asking for too much, these days? Anyway, let me read this to you. I’ll skip the ‘dull’ bits: "The current average driver age in the... industry is 49. In addition, the industry has historically struggled to attract all segments of the population as just 5.8 per cent of truck drivers are women. This share has been essentially unchanged over time. Conversely, today 38.6 per cent of drivers are minorities, which has jumped 12 percentage points from 26.6 per cent in 2001. "In 2014, the trucking industry was short 38,000 drivers. The shortage is expected to reach nearly 48,000 by the end of 2015. If the current trend holds, the shortage may balloon to almost 175,000 by 2024." Since you ask, yes, there is an insight from the boss’s office. Here’s CRST International CEO Dave Rusch: "I’ve been in the business 34 years, and I’ve never seen the driver situation like it is today... Typically, if we have freight, we can expand. We can’t grow now because of drivers. For the second year in a row, we are projecting zero growth." And they quote Melton Truck Lines CFO Robert Ragan saying: "A significant amount of freight is being turned down... We’ve looked at acquisitions because we can’t grow organically." Got that? It’s playing havoc with their businesses. Now, compare and contrast. Recently, Volvo Group – yes, the truckbuilder with a keen social awareness – unveiled a report called Professional Truck Driver Shortage: How driver availability impacts the transport industry & Australian society. Of course you should have read it. Do you know how little worthwhile research is done into transport and logistics issues in this country, given the industry’s size and economic importance? Have a butcher’s at this: 52 per cent of respondents reported having issues attracting the quantity of drivers needed 82 per cent have issues attracting the quality of drivers they expect 46 per cent of respondents experiencing a driver shortage right now 90 per cent or more believe the negative public perception of trucking is a bar to entry of young men, women and those of diverse backgrounds. And that’s after the industry has had a pretty good tilt at cleaning up its act. Just as an aside, did you see Victorian Transport Association CEO Peter Anderson railing against the ease with which overseas applicants can gain heavy vehicle licences? Just as well senator Glenn Sterle had a committee on the job. That’ll fix it. You have to say it’s not a good thing having heavy-duty trucks driven by barely qualified imported drivers, worse when locals would need to do two to six weeks of training. Besides, they might be doing someone out of a job. Oh, wait a minute...

Spartan Motors Hosts GM and Isuzu Executives as First Chevrolet Medium Duty Truck Rolls off its Production Line Spartan Motors Press Release / July 27, 2016 Spartan Motors plays host to General Motors and Isuzu Commercial Truck of America executives today as they celebrate the first of the new Chevrolet medium duty, gasoline-powered trucks as the first unit rolls off the production line at the Spartan Motors plant in Charlotte, Michigan. The new Chevrolet 3500, 3500HD, 4500, 4500HD, 4500XD, 5500HD and 5500XD truck line is the result of a strategic business relationship between General Motors and Isuzu. Spartan was awarded the build contract and is responsible for the assembly of the trucks, which are based on Isuzu's N-Series design. "Production of the Chevrolet medium duty line begins in earnest today as we witness the first of what we expect to be many of these durable and maneuverable vehicles roll off our assembly line," said Daryl Adams, President and Chief Executive Officer, Spartan Motors. "Our strategic business relationship with Isuzu began in 2011, and our Company has realized significant growth and success in this segment due in part to the great trust they've shown in our team's execution of their vision for this broad product line. In fact, we celebrated the 30,000th Isuzu N-Series production milestone this year, and we expect GM will realize similar success with their vehicle line." Spartan Motors will be manufacturing seven different Chevrolet models including regular-cab and crew-cab body style options and chassis lengths ranging from 109 inches to 212 inches. Additionally, several drivetrain options exist, including a 6.0 liter, V-8 GM gasoline engine as well as Isuzu-sourced 3.0 liter or 5.2 liter turbo-diesel engines. All engines are mated to a six-speed automatic transmission. "One of our core competencies at Spartan is our contract manufacturing expertise," added Adams. "This expansion of our relationship with Isuzu, and thereby General Motors, is a reflection of our traditional high standards of quality and reliability that are built into every specialty chassis and vehicle we manufacture." Video - https://www.thestreet.com/story/13655043/1/spartan-motors-hosts-general-motors-and-isuzu-executives-as-first-chevrolet-medium-duty-truck-rolls-off-its-production-line.html

Chevrolet’s New Low Cab Forward Trucks Heading to Dealers Nationwide Chevrolet Pressroom / July 27, 2016 DETROIT – Chevrolet’s new Low Cab Forward trucks are now shipping to Chevrolet dealers across the country, marking Chevrolet’s return to the medium duty market. The new Low Cab Forward series strengthens Chevrolet’s expansive truck portfolio, which includes midsize, light duty and heavy duty pickups. “We’re in the business of helping our commercial customers succeed, and a big part of that is providing the vehicle choices they need to efficiently operate their businesses,” said Ed Peper, U.S. vice president, General Motors Fleet. “Our new Low Cab Forward trucks are the answer for our customers who require expansive payload, cargo-hauling capabilities and exceptional maneuverability. The Chevrolet Low Cab Forward has great customer-focused functionality, including a maneuverable Cab Over design for optimal visibility and a tight turning radius for efficient hauling in busy, urban environments. The new trucks are offered in regular cab and crew cab body styles, with either a 6.0L V-8 gas engine, a 3.0L turbo-diesel engine or a 5.2L turbo-diesel engine. All engines are mated to six-speed automatic transmissions. Class 3 through 5 models are available with maximum GVWR ranges of up to 19,500 pounds. “Drivers will love this truck because it’s comfortable, versatile and easy to drive, but the thing that will set us apart for owners-operators and fleet managers is ease of service through a nationwide network of Chevrolet commercial dealers,” said John Schwegman, director of commercial product, General Motors Fleet. Pricing begins at an MSRP of $40,900 for trucks with gasoline engines. Pricing for trucks with diesel engines begins at an MSRP of $48,375. Prices include a $1,125 destination charge but exclude tax, title, license and dealer fees. For more information about the new Chevrolet Low Cab Forward series and Chevrolet’s comprehensive commercial lineup, visit www.chevrolet.com. Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is now one of the world's largest car brands, doing business in more than 115 countries and selling more than 4.0 million cars and trucks a year. Chevrolet provides customers with fuel-efficient vehicles that feature engaging performance, design that makes the heart beat, passive and active safety features and easy-to-use technology, all at a value. More information on Chevrolet models can be found at www.chevrolet.com. Related reading: http://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/40483-déjà-vu-gm-to-source-medium-duty-trucks-from-isuzu/#comment-293445 http://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/44571-spartan-expands-contract-assembly-for-isuzu-with-new-f-series-truck/#comment-328885 http://www.gmfleet.com/chevrolet/low-cab-forward-trucks.html .

Even though F-350/450/550 production has been relocated from Louisville to Avon Lake, the article above states they will adopt the aluminum F-150 cab. That is, they will not share an upcoming new cab with the F-650/750. I'm surprised that Ford would invest in an all-new cab, if in fact they have, for just the F-650/750 and rumors say an F-850. Only the F-650 enjoys strong sales, relatively speaking. F-750 sales are small, and F-850 sales will surely be minimal. I'd love to see Ford get serious about medium (and heavy?) trucks again, by for starters, creating an all-new cutting edge purpose-design medium truck cab. But I don't believe its a US market priority. The Paccar DAF LF sold thru Kenworth and Peterbilt is the highest quality medium duty in America. But it's too expensive for the US market. They can penetrate Class 7, but it's too pricey for Class 6 when you're competing with a F-650......a low-cost overgrown pickup truck with a pickup drivetrain.

Bob, so now only the F-650 and F-750 will use the steel Super-Duty cab. Certainly a massive drop in production. Upgrades aside, doesn't that cab date back to 1999 ? Ford could do much more if it had a purpose-designed medium-duty conventional cab, a low-cab-forward offering to combat Chevrolet/Isuzu, and a medium-duty Cargo COE.

The ISX12 is based on the Dakota. Cummin's UK customer base did crumble beneath it, but "one" reason is that it failed to provide a product superior to the European competition. They improved and passed Cummins.

Daimler, via Freightliner, already has 50% market share in Class 7, and soon to have in Class 8. In Class 6, averaging 30-35% is nothing to sneeze at. At a Freightliner dealer, you're working with truck people, whereas Ford has car people selling trucks using low price. Navistar has done well with the return of the Cummins option. Many customers are turning to a Cummins-powered Navistar medium-duty because Ford no longer offers it.

Putting Ford’s new Super Duty to work Fleet Owner / July 26, 2016 Tim Pope puts his trucks to work, and he works them hard. Whether it’s trimming trees, responding to natural disasters, clearing utility land, or building roads, Pope’s trucks work around the clock and are constantly on the go. Pope is the CEO of Rochester, NY-based companies Terry Tree Service and Ironwood Heavy Highway. He manages more than 200 employees and buys an average of 10-15 new trucks a year depending on his companies’ workloads. Right now, Pope has approximately 100 Ford Super Duty F-350s through F-750s that tow tools, excavators, and other pieces of large equipment to job sites. He’s currently waiting on the newest addition to his fleet – an F-350 King Ranch, which is part of Ford’s new 2017 Super Duty series. Pope spoke with Fleet Owner during Ford’s All-New 2017 Super Duty press event here in Denver. “The Super Duty is important for us because all our jobs are on the road,” Pope explained. “And to get all the supplies out to the job – it’s invaluable.” The new Super Duty’s military-grade, aluminum-alloy body and box helps reduce weight by up to 350 lbs. compared to previous models, the company said. Doug Scott, Ford’s truck group marketing manager, said this is the OEM’s first new Super Duty model since 1999. He added that the truck is made to withstand severe-duty vocations like mining, manufacturing and highway maintenance. “These are the people that put the highest demand on the truck,” Scott said. “These are the people that the truck can’t be down for.” The new series has larger fuel tanks – at 48 gallons – for increased driving range. And chassis cab upgrades include: Front gross axle weight rating of up to 7,500 lbs. Gross combine weight rating of up to 40,000 lbs. and increased towing New powertrain options: A second-generation 6.7L Power Stroke V8 Turbo Diesel that produces 330 horsepower and 750 lbs.-ft. of torque; A 6.2L FFV V8 Gas Engine option that offers 385 hp and 430 lbs.-ft of torque. Larger braking system The new Super Duty also includes up to seven high-resolution cameras that give drivers a 360-degree view, trailer reverse guidance, straight line backup guidance, jackknife warning, adaptive steering, adaptive cruise control, blind spot information system with trailer coverage, and lane departure warning, among other features. “What sold me is [driver] safety – all the additional cameras, adaptive cruise control and extra horsepower,” Pope told Fleet Owner. After driver safety, he mentioned durability coupled with low maintenance and operating costs also top his priority list. “When a piece of equipment is down, my crew is down,” Pope explained, noting that he has an in-house maintenance facility with five full-time mechanics. “Dependability is important.” Ford’s new Super Duty can also function as a mobile office for busy fleets. The center console could hold a full-sized laptop and two power outlets in the cab provide up to 400 total watts of power (300 while driving), the company said. The cab is also 6-in. longer and contains a flat load floor option, and the crew cab is 3-in. longer than previous models. “What I like from a personal standpoint is that I could work the truck real hard during the day,” Pope noted. “I could have fun with it towing my boats, and then I could wash it and take my wife out to dinner at night.” “It’s my office,” he added. “I do a lot of business driving down the road. And I’m one to put 50,000 miles on my personal truck every year.” Photo gallery - http://fleetowner.com/equipment/getting-know-ford-s-new-super-duty#slide-0-field_images-196971