For the Driver

Shake, rattle, roll: Touring Daimler's HDPG

May 19, 2017

MADRAS, OR. The official first day of summer was still a month away, but the Pacific Northwest rainy season gave way to brilliant sunshine and mild temperatures just in time to allow Daimler executives and community leaders to forecast a bright future for a new truck testing facility here.

Kevin Jones

A couple of hours south and east and across Mt. Hood from DTNA's award-winning Portland headquarters building, the High Desert Proving Grounds is a $19 million road course and engineering center designed right down to the grooves in the pavement to reinforce the truck maker's market leadership and to develop customer-focused products "faster, quicker, better" than competitors can.

About the Author

Kevin Jones | Editor

Kevin has served as editor-in-chief of Trailer/Body Builders magazine since 2017—just the third editor in the magazine’s 60 years. He is also editorial director for Endeavor Business Media’s Commercial Vehicle group, which includes FleetOwner, Bulk Transporter, Refrigerated Transporter, American Trucker, and Fleet Maintenance magazines and websites.

Working from Beaufort, S.C., Kevin has covered trucking and manufacturing for nearly 20 years. His writing and commentary about the trucking industry and, previously, business and government, has been recognized with numerous state, regional, and national journalism awards.