ChevronTexaco Global Lubricants recently partnered with local marketer Sierra Energy to bring the Chevron Delo-sponsored mobile truck driving simulator to the Diesel Motor Shop at Truckee Meadows Community College in Reno, NV. Sierra Energy invited its fleet customers to use the simulator — the only one of its kind — for some high-tech training. About 150 drivers from over 30 fleets took part in the training.
Outside the simulator (l to r): Craig Martinez of ChevronTexaco Global Lubricants, Reno Mayor Bob Cashell, and Bob Buljan and Paul Anderson of Sierra Energy.
“A lot of people think fuel economy is the engine's job, but it's really not. It's the stomach, not the legs, of a truck. The engine doesn't determine how much fuel it gets fed — that depends on the speed of the truck, what gear it's in, etc.”
— John Flynn, president & CEO, First Fleet Corp.
Tribute in motion Volvo Trucks North America's New River Valley (NRV) plant and members of United Autoworkers Local 2069 together paid tribute to America's veterans for the 14th year in a row by taking part in “Ride for Freedom XVII.” The national “Rolling Thunder - Ride for Freedom” parade runs from the Pentagon through Washington, DC, each Memorial Day weekend. More than 630,000 motorcyclists from around the U.S. join the parade in tribute to U.S. Armed Forces personnel killed or missing in action.
A specially detailed Volvo VN670 made the journey to the nation's capital from the truck plant in Dublin, VA, accompanied by some 250 bikers, including about 150 NRV employees, who took part in Local 2069's annual Ride for Freedom. The truck featured a collage of images honoring POWs and MIAs in Korea, Vietnam and World War II, and these solemn words: “All gave some… Some gave all.”
Tarheel salute Freightliner LLC is celebrating the 25th anniversary of its Mount Holly, NC, truck plant. Opened in May 1979, the facility was the first of the Portland, OR-based OEM's four plants in North Carolina. Up till then, Freightliner had a strictly West Coast manufacturing presence. Freightliner opened Mount Holly to better meet growing customer demand in the East, with the plant originally producing Class 8 tractors. Today the facility, which has been expanded several times over the years to now cover 616,000 sq. ft., exclusively builds the Freightliner Business Class M2 line of medium/heavy-duty trucks.