FleetOwner's top 10 photo galleries of 2021

Coming off a year that removed in-person events from everyone’s schedule, FleetOwner editors were thrilled to get back out on the road in 2021. That was particularly true for some of the new truck ride-and-drive events held throughout the year.

For one of our end-of-year articles, we've rounded up the top 10 galleries that resonated most with our readers. And it wasn’t surprising that half the galleries in the top 10 related to new truck announcements from in-person events.

Our end-of-year gallery roundup also highlights the American Transportation Research Institute’s top freight bottleneck in the U.S., as well as the top states for rude driving and trucking industry regulations to watch in 2021 (always interesting to see what industry projections stick over the course of the year).

Ranked from 10 to one, here are FleetOwner’s top 10 galleries of 2021:

10. Heavy-duty OEMs preview 2022 offerings

Freightliner is among the OEMs pushing technology upgrades going into 2022, with the Detroit Assurance suite of safety systems on the Cascadia.

Technology, technology and—lest we forget—technology is still all the buzz as the trucking industry heads into 2022, specifically further integration in heavy-duty trucks of advanced driver assistance systems. Just a decade ago, the industry was considered way behind in technology.

But truck makers were quick to emphasize in several recent releases and interviews with FleetOwner that they didn’t want buyers and fleets to overlook advances in structural and mechanical components of their new vehicles: steering systems, aerodynamics, cab design, engines, corrosion resistance, and durability.

Check out the full gallery here.

9. Ford touts electric F-150 for fleets

Ford's 2022 F-150 Lightning Pro was designed with commercial customers in mind.

As Mohammad Abbas, one of three on-hand subject-matter experts, quipped before sending roadshow attendees to test ride in Ford’s all-new, all-electric F-150 Lightning Pro, “I invite you all to the future of electrification at the Ford Motor Company—where we take electricity and turn it into Lightning.”

Only this Lightning is safe to ride, and quite exhilarating, too.

Check out the full gallery here.

8. Show and tell: New Peterbilt medium-duty lineup

The Model 536 offers enhanced visibility through its lowered dash, sloped hood and large mirrors.

Starting from scratch. Back to the drawing board. Rethinking this whole thing. A clean sheet.

Phil Hall, Peterbilt medium-duty marketing manager, used those very phrases to introduce the red oval brand’s new medium-duty lineup to a half-dozen trucking editors. That was just before we were to get behind the wheel for a few demo-drive laps in some new trucks on the infield course at the Texas Motor Speedway.

Check out this behind-the-scenes look at the new lineup with Peterbilt's marketing manager, who shares the reasoning behind the "human-centered" refresh.

7. Futuristic Asian-made heavy-duty has plans to make EV long haul a reality

According to the OEM, the Homtruck’s operating system would utilize vehicle sensors to analyze traffic data in real-time and receive route recommendations. The truck also would recommend optimal refueling or recharging routes to the driver.

China’s Geely has created a prototype next-generation, “smart energy” heavy-duty commercial vehicle that can run on an electric charge or as a methanol hybrid. And until it can drive by itself, the Asian industrial giant that plans to produce this futuristic tractor-trailer is making the cab into a home-away-from-home, complete with a bathroom, mini-kitchen, and washer-dryer.

A prototype for the Homtruck, which appears to rival the U.S-developed Tesla Semi—in appearance and promise—also is being built with more driver comforts in mind, according to photos and details released by Geely Holdings Group.

Check out the full gallery here.

6. Closer look at the Kenworth T680 Next Gen

The Kenworth T680 Next Gen day cab has a 183-in. wheelbase and suited for regional haul and drayage.

Earlier this year, FleetOwner visited Kenworth's Renton, Washington, operations to check out the all-new Kenworth T680 Next Generation, the first of which was delivered to customers in the spring.

Check out the full gallery for a closer look at the biggest changes to the exterior and interior.

5. Where are the worst freight bottlenecks in the U.S.?

Even COVID-19 couldn’t make hauling freight into Manhattan much less of a headache. For the third straight year, the eastbound entrance to the George Washington Bridge, which connects Fort Lee, N.J., to New York City, was ranked the top freight bottleneck in the U.S. by the American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI).

ATRI's annual Top Truck Bottleneck List measures how intense freight congestion is in more than 300 locations on the U.S. highway system. The list is based on GPS data gathered from more than 1 million trucks in 2020.

Flip through ATRI's 2021 Top Truck Bottleneck list.

4. A 30-year first: Kenworth unveils new medium-duty lineup

Kenworth's new medium-duty lineup, from left: the light Class 8 T480, the Class 7 T380, the Class 6 T280, and the Class 5 T180.

Nearly five years ago, Kenworth began a research and development journey to revamp its 30-year-old medium-duty product line. After years of testing and insights from more than 500 fleet customers and drivers, the result is an all-new medium-duty (MD) truck line built from the ground up.

In April, Kenworth officially introduced its new MD conventional truck lineup ranging from Class 5 to light Class 8. The new models, the Kenworth T180 (Class 5), Kenworth T280 (Class 6), Kenworth T380 (Class 7), and Kenworth T480 (light Class 8), are designed to serve a variety of applications including cargo and reefer van, beverage, tow and recovery, utility and government, fuel oil and propane, landscaping, fire, water tank, and dump and mixer.

Check out Kenworth’s MD lineup here.

3. Top 10 states for rude driving

According to citation data on selfish driving behavior, Insurify compiled a list of the 10 states with the rudest drivers.

Virginia, it appears, is truly for lovers—of exhibiting rude behavior on the road. According to Insurify, an insurance comparison site that used data from more than 4 million car insurance applications, it’s not at all uncommon for the commonwealth’s drivers to practice the following “rude” behaviors: failing to yield right of way to other vehicles or pedestrians; failure to stop for a red light, school bus, or stop sign; improperly backing up; passing where prohibited; tailgating; street racing; and hit-and-run.

Check out Insurify's list of the 10 states with the rudest drivers.

2. 10 trucking regs to watch in 2021

The Biden administration and a Congress controlled by Democrats had the opportunity to reshape trucking regulations this year.

Based on interviews with industry experts and past coverage of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and the U.S. Department of Transportation, earlier in the year FleetOwner highlighted 10 pending or potential changes to the trucking industry that were worth keeping an eye on in 2021.

Check out the full gallery here.

See how these 2021 regulatory projections compare to what's ahead: 2022 regulations outlook: After a slow 2021, feds could be busy next year

1. Peterbilt unleashes most 'game-changing' truck to date

The low fenders and fender valleys of Peterbilt's new Model 579 are a design nod to the Model 389 and the classic Peterbilt style that dates back to 1939.

Peterbilt Motors Co. kicked off a "new era of class" earlier this year with the launch of the thoroughly redesigned on-highway flagship, the new Model 579. Billed as the most technologically advanced truck the company has ever built, the new Model 579 also is the most aerodynamic and fuel-efficient Pete—boasting an impressive 7% improvement in fuel economy with the next-generation Paccar powertrain—to go along with substantial improvements in uptime and driver comfort.

Check out the full gallery of Peterbilt’s new Model 579.