* TRUCKMAKERS NEWS EVENT * USA - Live from Louisville, KY's

* The Mid-America Trucking Show

* Volvo introduces powertrain enhancements, improved aerodynamics

(Courtesy VTNA: Volvo Trucks’ VN model is now available with new aerodynamic components to improve fuel efficiency)
Louisville,KY,USA -The Trucker News Services -31 March 2011:  --  Volvo Trucks in North America introduced powertrain enhancements and advanced aerodynamics for its VN highway series aimed at delivering an 8 percent improvement in fuel efficiency over EPA 2007 engines with additional gains possible through the use of new fleet management and driver development tools...  The company said it would also introduce new interior features designed to increase comfort and productivity, giving customers additional tools for reducing costs and attracting and retaining drivers...

* MaxxForce 15 completes Navistar engine line-up

(Photo from The Trucker, by LYNDON FINNEY: Navistar's Jim Hebe Wednesday at MATS)

Louisville,KY,USA -The Trucker News Services -30 March 2011: -- The MaxxForce 15 is built on a proven block and crankshaft — an adaptation of the Caterpillar big bore power plant — combined with the fuel and air systems of the MaxxForce Advanced EGR system... At a press event at this week’s Mid-America Trucking Show here, Navistar Inc. announced the production availability of its MaxxForce 15, billed as the final piece in “the broadest, most comprehensive line-up” of integrated truck-engine offerings available to North American commercial truck customers...

* Peterbilt standardizes air disc brakes on all Peterbilt models

(Courtesy PETERBILT MOTORS CO.: The Bendix ABD22X is the standard for air disc brakes on Peterbilt's Class 8 models)

Louisville,KY,USA -The Trucker -30/2011:  --  Peterbilt Motors Co. said Wednesday air disc brakes would become standard on all of the company’s Class 8 models...  The announcement came during a news conference at the Mid-America Trucking Show that opens here Thursday...  Air disc brakes offer the shortest stopping distances in the market today and provide a compact design, minimizing weight, reducing maintenance and improving both vehicle and operator efficiency, according to Bill Jackson, PACCAR vice president and Peterbilt general manager...  Peterbilt is the first to go standard with air disc brakes across its full line of Class 8 vehicles, he said...

* Kenworth reveals regional haul version of T660

(Courtesy KENWORTH TRUCK CO.: The new T660 configuration removes the standard under-cab chassis fairing and replaces it with a cab-mounted extension of the hood fender)

Louisville,KY,USA -The Trucker -30 March 2011: -- Kenworth Truck Co. announced a new Kenworth T660 regional hauler configuration with shorter wheelbases, tighter chassis packaging, enhanced maneuverability and weight savings...  “It’s much more than regional haul truck,” Kenworth Chief Engineer Preston Feight told reporters during a news conference Wednesday at the Mid-America Trucking Show here...  This is all accomplished while maintaining the same fuel tank capacity as a T660 with forward chassis fairings, he said...

* Detroit Diesel says engine sales exceeded expectations

Louisville,KY,USA -Fleet Owner -Mar 31, 2011: -- Detroit Diesel officials announced they sold more than 25,000 engines featuring BlueTec emissions technology in 2010, exceeding the company’s expectations for the 2010 EPA emissions-compliant engines... The company said its BlueTec-equipped DD13, DD15 and DD16 engines have logged more than 150 million miles with fleets averaging a 5% or greater fuel economy improvement over 2007 models, creating a $2,700/truck savings in fuel on average...