A Kenworth T370 was recently recognized as the 150,000th truck produced at the PACCAR factory in Ste-Therese, Quebec.The milestone vehicle is a new Kenworth 4x2 T370 straight truck produced for long-time customer Pierce Manufacturing, a manufacturer of custom fire apparatus. The truck will be upfitted by Pierce with a fire tanker/pumper body. The Pierce T370 features a PACCAR PX-9 engine rated at 350 hp with 1,000 lb.-ft. of torque at 1,400 rpm, 5-speed Allison 3000 EVS automatic transmission with PTO provision, full NFPA (National Fire Protection Association) compliance components, along with 14,000-lb front axle and 26,000-lb single rear axle with a rear-axle ratio of 5.25. The chassis also includes new frame packaging options recently made available on the T370 – the first being an end-of-frame fuel tank mounted between the frame rails. This new option allows for better chassis packaging on this complex tanker body. To complement the rear fuel tank, a new narrow under-cab battery box allows the DEF tank to be moved forward under cab, minimizing interference with the body installation.“Pierce Manufacturing, which maintains a strong reputation of superior performance, relies on Kenworth to develop features such as our new frame packaging option to make durable truck chassis that can be easily adapted to meet a wide range of needs,” said Jason Skoog, Kenworth assistant general manager for sales and marketing. “Over the years, Kenworth has worked closely with Pierce to provide customers with custom-made commercial tankers, pumpers, rescue trucks and other vehicles that get the job done, while handling punishing environments and holding their value. Kenworth appreciates its long-time association with Pierce and looks forward to continuing to provide medium duty truck chassis for Pierce customers.”Skoog presented a special commemorative plaque and the keys to the new Kenworth T370 to Rich Demski, Florida division chief engineer and commercial chassis manager for Pierce Manufacturing. Also participating in the special ceremony at the plant were Chakib Toubal-Seghir, PACCAR Ste-Therese plant manager; Jim Walenczak, Kenworth general sales manager – West; and Colin Petrie, new truck sales representative of selling dealer NorCal Kenworth – San Leandro, CA.“Many Pierce Manufacturing customers come back to us time and again to make them a custom-made commercial vehicle on a Kenworth chassis because of the care and attention to detail that Ste-Therese plant employees pay when building them,” Demski said. “That’s why Pierce was here to participate in this important milestone for Kenworth and accept this very special and historic 150,000th truck. Pierce takes pride in its longstanding business partnership with Kenworth. We also look forward to building more vehicles using chassis like this Kenworth T370 to meet our global customers’ needs for quality and value.”Pierce‘s products also include aerials, rescue trucks, wildland trucks, mini-pumpers, elliptical tankers, and homeland security apparatus. “The production of 150,000 trucks at PACCAR Ste-Therese culminates the hard work and strong commitment to quality among our employees,” said Toubal-Seghir. “We’ve taken great pride as we’ve watched or seen pictures and videos of the trucks we’ve built over the years for customers, such as Pierce Manufacturing, respond to roadside emergencies or carry water to extinguish building or residential fires. We’re confident this truck will carry on that tradition.”
