Start these engines…
Those who can't get enough of the track will want one of 200 International 9900i or 9900ix tractors adorned with official NASCAR colors.
Each of the limited-edition 6×4 models will boast a package of chrome and stainless accessories, vinyl graphics and NASCAR badging — and up to 565 hp under the long-nose hood.
The OEM says it designed the truck with owner-operators in mind but also intends to market it to fleets seeking to reward top performers with a distinctive premium tractor.
“This vehicle is a great fit for NASCAR race enthusiasts who want to fly the NASCAR colors while on the road, or even for fleet operators looking for something extra special for their best drivers,” notes Mark Vehlewald, International marketing director.
Green likes brown “Our balance sheet should continue to be a thing of beauty.”
— Scott Davis, UPS chief financial officer
No pickups According to The New York Times, the People's Republic of China will soon slap minimum fuel economy standards on new cars that will be tougher than ours. But the new rules won't cover pickups. Quoting General Motors research, the newspaper notes “there is little demand for pickup trucks in China except from businesses, because the affluent urban consumer who can afford a new vehicle regards pickup trucks as unsophisticated and too reminiscent of the horse-drawn carts still used in some rural areas.”
Sterling shines A recent ceremony in St. Thomas, Ontario, marked the manufacture of Sterling Truck Corp.'s 100,000th truck - a Class 8 day cab tractor earmarked for LTL carrier USF Holland. Bannering the occasion are (l to r) Terri Bruni, plant manager; Rainer Schmueckle, CEO of Freightliner LLC (Sterling's parent); USF Holland vp Darryl Lokers; and Sterling Sr. vp-sales & marketing John Merrifield.
Texas-size wrecker Tow-truck fleet operator David Goode of Killeen, TX, designed the one-of-a-kind ‘Goliath.’ The extended hood of the Pete 379 houses a 475-hp Cat. The wrecker's crane alone can dead-lift 50 tons. Goode says he uses the giant's strength to recover fully loaded rigs on long and lonely stretches of highway.
The queen draws While the sunny beaches of Florida or the majestic mountains of Colorado might seem big draws for Americans on the move, it turns out the place most people are moving to is Charlotte, NC.
The most recent American Moving and Storage Assn. (AMSA) mobility study pegs the “Queen City” as the heaviest inbound market with 62.4% of total moves.
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