International Trucks recently launched an interactive web portal, called Trucking Truths, to connect drivers, fleet managers, and the entire trucking industry. The goal: To encourage an ongoing dialogue so those who own and operate trucks can discuss their challenges and share solutions to the issues facing them every day.

Part of a larger media campaign featuring print and digital media, the centerpiece of the project is the Trucking Truths website. Accessible at Trucking Truths, the portal is a web-based destination offering helpful information on six categories of issues that impact the trucking community: Regulations, Driver Retention, Reliability, Productivity, Efficiency and Support.

For example, under “Regulations” there are a number of video clips with real drivers, fleet personnel and owners sharing tips on how to stay compliant in the wake of more stringent CSA standards. By clicking “Driver Retention,” one might find helpful information on recruitment strategies or rewards programs that real companies are using to keep their best drivers.

“This is the start of an ongoing conversation between International and the people driving, maintaining and purchasing trucks,” says Jim Hebe, senior vice president of North American sales operations, Navistar. “It will be an honest, open discussion about the things that matter most in the trucking business and how the whole industry can help each other through collaboration.”

The Trucking Truths integrated marketing campaign kicked-off in January 2012 and will continue through 2012. It features blogs, podcasts, live chats and dozens of videos from drivers, fleet managers, small business owners, and CEOs. To generate great stories and useful advice, International has solicited videos from the trucking community through digital channels and industry events such as the recent NTEA Work Truck Show in Indianapolis and Mid-American Trucking Show (MATS) in Louisville.

Members of the trucking industry are also encouraged to record their own virtual reports on the issues that matter to them, and upload them digitally to be showcased on the Trucking Truths web portal.

“This sort of marketing effort is what makes International Trucks truly unique; we know what challenges our customers face and we can use our knowledge and experience to help them take on those issues.” says Michael Cerilli, vice president, marketing, Navistar Truck Group. “This campaign and web portal is about acknowledging the real issues facing the trucking industry and providing realistic solutions.”

To learn more about Trucking Truths, visit Trucking Truths

International continues to show its commitment to the construction segment by offering the industry’s most diversified, integrated mixer truck product line-up—along with an array of innovative service solutions that deliver real results to a customer’s bottom line.

Among the trucks ready to make a difference for the concrete market is a new front discharge mixer from subsidiary Continental Mixers that fully integrates International® truck chassis components and MaxxForce® big bore diesel engines. Following last year’s announcement, International engineers recently completed extensive product test and validation processes to ensure the vehicle will meet the highest levels of quality, reliability and durability. Now, the truck is ready for customer orders.

“Our launch of an integrated front discharge mixer is yet another step for Continental Mixers to provide a complete portfolio of product solutions,” says Steve Guillaume, general manager, Continental Mixers.

According to Rickie Grooms, vice president of dealer services for Continental Mixers, one visitor to this year’s World of Concrete show bought one of the new front discharge mixers right off the show floor. “The customer was that confident, they bought the truck right then and there,” says Grooms.

The new Continental Mixers front discharge mixers offer fully integrated MaxxForce® 13 big bore power with up to 430 horsepower. In addition, the mixer incorporates a new drum design for best-in-class charge and discharge and is Truck Mixer Manufacturer’s Bureau (TMMB) certified.

In the past, buying a mixer truck meant needing to work with one rep for the engine, another for the chassis, and yet another for the body. But, by integrating the chassis and powertrain from International® commercial vehicles, the end result is a machine with unparalleled performance, reliability, and durability backed by an expansive network that understands how to support both mixers and vocational chassis. To that end, the front discharge mixer will be sold and serviced through Continental Mixers dealers who will also provide parts support and unparalleled chassis service expertise.

New, Lightweight Integrated Mixer

Continental Mixers also recently introduced an all-new lightweight integrated mixer that utilizes a proprietary high-strength steel specifically formulated for concrete mixers. This new design will deliver a nearly 2,000-pound weight savings versus comparably spec’d steel mixers.

These new lightweight mixers include the optional ZF gearbox, which integrates the hydraulic pump in the gearbox housing. In addition, multiple barrel sizes are available to meet customer requirements. The new lightweight mixers are available on both International WorkStar® and International® PayStar® chassis.

“With this lightweight mixer, we are changing the weight game in the mixer business,” says Guillaume. “We’ve developed a product that provides our customers with significant weight savings in a 10.5 yard mixer, while maintaining all the benefits of a conventional steel mixer.”

Comprehensive Customer Support

Along with game-changing new products, Continental Mixers goes above and beyond with an unprecedented level of customer and product support, boasting 29 dedicated dealers and 118 locations across the United States and Canada in addition to four dealers serving the Latin American market. The Continental Mixers dealer network is extensively trained in sales and service capabilities for mixers, commercial chassis, and diesel engines while also offering all-makes parts support for these products.

And, through the integrated service support tools available through OnCommand™ by Navistar, Continental Mixers dealers provide an innovative preventative maintenance program that allows customers to align preventative maintenance schedules for both mixer and chassis to reduce downtime and improve productivity.

“No one else in the industry can offer this level of support,” Grooms says. “By treating the vehicle as one unit and synchronizing PMs, we can support the product from beginning to end. There’s no more running around to different companies to get your product fixed. And that leaves you with more time to bid on that next job, to focus on your business.”

“In just two short years, Continental Mixers has made tremendous progress to meet the diverse needs of ready-mix customers with the most extensive line-up of fully integrated mixer products in the industry,” Guillaume says. “With a comprehensive dealer support network and customer-focused service offerings, Continental Mixers continues to raise the bar for concrete producers.”

For information on fully integrated vehicles from Continental Mixers, visit: Continental Mixers

When drivers make the switch to automated manual transmissions (AMTs), they rarely look back, says Shane Groner, development and product planning manager, Eaton Commercial Vehicle Transmissions. We recently spoke with Groner about the technology behind the UltraShift® PLUS family of products, and why AMTs are gaining speed with more than just line-haul operators.

Question: How does the UltraShift PLUS work when compared with traditional manual transmissions?

Answer: What I tell drivers who haven’t used it before is: It works just like your car, but it’s 80-feet long. Simply select reverse or drive, release the brake and drop the throttle, and drive away. It’s really getting that simple. And when [driving] gets that simple, think about what that does for your driver pool. It enhances safety and drivability, and that means you can put an inexperienced driver in a truck and know that he or she will be successful.

And automation also brings up your overall fuel economy. Even your best drivers, because they are human, will make errors. The automated product makes the same conditional decisions over and over again with 100 percent consistency. We take out some of the variation. But we still have a manual mode: If you have an excellent driver who knows the route and wants to go into another gear position, he or she can do that.

Q: What are the new technologies driving today’s AMTs?

A: With the UtlraShift PLUS, you have an electronic clutch actuator, which means we can lock in the clutch at idle instead of having to rev the engine up. You can actually creep around the yard at idle with the clutch fully engaged—you’re going at the lowest possible gear speed of that combination. One of the other technologies in the box that makes it so incredible now is grade sensing. Using what’s essentially a high-grade accelerometer, it can tell what grade you’re on. And if you’re pointed up and in drive, we have a system called Hill Start Aid, which automatically holds the vehicle for three seconds when stopped on an incline. This greatly enhances the driver’s ability to launch from a grade—and reduces stress associated with rolling back and catching a car that might have crowded behind the trailer.

Q: What’s your message to drivers who believe automated manual transmissions take away their control?

A: Well, there is a mentality with some drivers that if you’re not shifting, then you’re not driving a truck. But when drivers experience the UltraShift PLUS, they realize there are better things to do in a truck than shift. The system works so seamlessly now. Because of the clutch actuation, you can lock up at idle and get really good low speed maneuverability. It really enhances the overall drivability and safety. At the end of the day, when you’re not shifting and keeping track of what gear you’re in, you’re so much fresher at the end of the day.

Q: What applications benefit most from automated transmissions?

A: It used to be, when you thought about automation, you thought about line haul. But now we have products that can bring value to any application. So if you want to go with an automated transmission and haul a heavy load, we have a transmission for you. And now we have our Vocational Construction Series (VCS) and Vocational Multipurpose Series (VMS), AMTs that cater to oil field, cement mixers and dump trucks. You don’t have to be stuck with a one-size-fits-all transmission.

Q: Why is the UltraShift PLUS such a good fit with the ProStar®+ and MaxxForce®13?

A: I think the key is they are highly integrated. Both the Eaton and MaxxForce teams, we work so closely, sometimes it’s hard to tell that we’re two companies. Our communications electronically between the transmission and engine are seamless. And the integration optimization work is seamless. The products operate together so well from shift to shift. And there are fuel economy gains that can be achieved with this combination.

Q: What does that partnership mean for the end user?

A: It means you have a product that runs optimally all the time: a high level of performance and high level of fuel economy. Our transmissions follow the MaxxForce engine maps very closely. It provides a very reliable combination that operates as a single system. For operators, that gives them a highly efficient solution that’s actually pleasurable to drive.

For more information, go to: Ultra Shift Plus

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Navistar showcased more than 50 vehicles at this year’s Mid-America Truck Show (MATS)—its largest show to date. The parent company of International® truck, MaxxForce® engine, Monaco RV and IC Bus took the opportunity to tell the complete story of how its history of innovation, and focus on integration, is delivering for owners and operators across a myriad of applications.

Navistar has been delivering new solutions for its customers for more than 180 years, from the reaper to the first smokeless diesel to industry-changing trucks like the International® ProStar®+. At MATS, held March 22-24 in Louisville, Kentucky, the truck and engine brands showed that you can’t move forward without learning from the past. The extensive show layout brought that heritage to life with a dynamic video timeline. Meanwhile, several displays demonstrated how Navistar is constantly refining products for maximum efficiency, and constantly utilizing new technologies to help lay the groundwork for future developments.

That dedication to technology drives the company’s many advances in the Class 8 category. Lighter weight and best-in-class fluid economy combine to give International trucks one of the lowest costs of ownership in the industry. Featuring the powerful and efficient MaxxForce® engine, International trucks can be custom tailored to suit any fleet. And at MATS, a ProStar+ spec’d with the latest features showed the many ways International goes above and beyond when it comes to keeping drivers safe, comfortable and productive while out on the road.

International’s commercial duty capabilities were also front and center. The latest versions of the International® DuraStar® and TerraStar® helped tell the story of how International can bring value to the small businesses that rely on their trucks for their livelihood.

The OEM’s international capabilities were evident as well, with a display featuring trucks and engines representing the company’s full portfolio from across the globe. Navistar’s products and services have been a driving force in expanding new overseas markets by empowering local businesses. And thanks to the versatility of its North American truck and engine platforms, the company is efficiently expanding its presence in new geographies around the world.

Of course, some people rely on their trucks to do more than make their business run. They trust it with their lives. Utilizing its severe-duty WorkStar® truck design to produce mine-resistant military vehicles, International is doing its part to keep our brave servicemen and women safe. MATS attendees took advantage of the opportunity to send their appreciation by filling out thank you forms that will be delivered to troops overseas, while also getting an up-close look at the vehicles such as MaxxPro® MRAP.

The constant pursuit of new technologies also means leading the charge when it comes to alternative fuels. At MATS, Navistar shared its alternative fuel approach, which calls for both in-house development of engine refinements and partnerships with the right partners to explore solutions with huge upsides such as natural gas. And attendees got the chance to see vehicles such as the International® WorkStar® CNG, a high performance, environmentally sustainable work truck developed in partnership with Emissions Solutions, Inc. (ESI).

For a look at what the future holds for the Class 8 segment, the Navistar display provided a sneak peek of the SuperTruck, a vehicle development project sponsored by the Department of Energy (DOE) that aims to revolutionize the commercial trucking industry when it comes to emissions and fuel economy standards.

And, from a service standpoint, Navistar introduced OnCommand Connection, which takes advantage of the vertical integration of the engine, chassis and cab to provide real-time data that gives customers advance notice on any upcoming maintenance issues. This new technology handles every facet of the maintenance process—from customer notification and dealership scheduling to confirming parts availability and vehicle service. The result: More uptime for the customer.

Finally, MATS 2012 saw the dramatic reveal of the latest International truck, the International® LoadStar™. Because a single manufacturer builds the entire vehicle, this fully integrated work truck re-imagines the ownership experience by allowing the customer to purchase, as well as service, the entire vehicle from a single source. (Look for more information on the game-changing International LoadStar in upcoming issues.)

“Our enhanced products, combined with new vehicles like the LoadStar, show how the work that we’re doing today is paving the way for a better tomorrow,” says Jim Hebe, Jim Hebe, senior vice president of North American sales operations, Navistar.