Hot dogsAnd you thought there was only one. A little digging by our most intrepid reporter has uncovered the truth — the Mack mascot has a pack of body doubles backing him up! Cavalier, an award-winning show dog from Philly, was selected in '01 to be the living embodiment of the Mack Trucks Inc. Bulldog symbol. But since a top dog's life is a busy one and, as we were told, “bulldogs in general don't travel well,” the OEM has had to use other pedigreed pooches as doubles when necessary. Like Cavvie, these impostors are “traditionally introduced as ‘Mack the Bulldog,’ or ‘Mack’ for short, whenever they make public appearances,” a spokesman noted.
Teardown Down UnderResults of an extreme Australian field test of Rotella T diesel engine oil have Shell Oil Products USA looking up. According to the company, teardown of an engine run over 186,000 miles in a tractor serving in grueling Road Train service across the vast, hot and dusty Outback has shown “little or no wear” to engine components. “Having tackled the severe conditions in the Outback,” said transport products marketing manager Dan Arcy, “we're extremely confident that Rotella T will perform admirably anywhere in the world.” For details, go to www.rotella.com
“We have seen a rise in fleet utilization, an improved used truck situation, an extended fleet age and a monthly strengthening of Class 8 order since July of 2002. Although we are reluctant to say that the industry is rebounding, it seems that significant factors are pointing in that direction. Our forecast is for a steady gain in global market volumes between 2003 and 2007.”
— Tom Gosnell, president of ArvinMeritor Commercial Vehicle Systems, speaking at the Mid-America Trucking Show
No catsup Oscar Mayer's trademark Weinermobile helped the recent NTEA Work Truck Show put on the dog. But what's on the dog — Gulden's or French's mustard — remains a mystery.
Out of sight… Penske Truck Leasing reports it has inked a deal with the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation to build and operate a maintenance shop located just 1.4 miles away from Virginia's first capital that will help “alleviate the visual impact of parked or idling tour buses” now found at a facility that's directly adjacent to the historic site.
Ultimate toolbox What tech wouldn't drool over this toolbox? Just imagine the calendars that would fit under that lid. Ace Hardware has tricked this trailer up for trade show duties. Not a big jump considering that in the real world, the chain has long used trailers in its distribution fleet as rolling billboards to promote the Ace brand.
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