Pete reaches record MD sales; weighs in on upcoming trends

DENTON, Tex. — Peterbilt will produce a record number of medium duty trucks this year and expects modest growth for the industry — about 10 percent more new registrations than ’04.

The company told Heavy Duty Trucking that demand for medium duty trucks spec’d for construction applications is particularly strong and should increase even more with rebuilding efforts in the Gulf Coast region.

Medium duty demand keeps growing: Pete

The driver shortage is impacting medium as well as heavy truck markets. Medium duty buyers are spec’ing more driver-friendly options and automatic and automated transmissions are becoming more popular, the company says. Peterbilt estimated a 12 percent increase this year in medium duty trucks spec’d with the easier-to-use transmissions.

Customers are trending toward more powerful engines — 300 hp and higher with 1,150-1,350 lbs-ft. torque — due to responsiveness, versatility and resale. “And although more power is being specified, these are still smaller displacement engines versus their Class 8 counterparts, so owners are realizing some fuel economy advantages,” the company said.

Peterbilt’s low-profile option is also becoming more popular. The trend is to keep bodies lower, particularly wreckers, which require a low center of gravity. The option also gives operators a lower step height to the cab and easier access to the truck body.

“Customer expectations continue to rise for the truck operating environment,” the company said. There is greater emphasis on fit and finish and on ergonomics, where customers are generally seeking high-end automotive quality and function.

2007 emissions-compliant engines will require installation modifications for the Model 335, but Peterbilt is working closely with its engine suppliers — Caterpillar & Cummins — to ensure the impact is minimal and customer needs continue to be met. “Required diesel particulate filters will pose challenges as we work to maintain our high level of customization,” it noted.

Placement of DPFs will require new packaging solutions of optimal toolboxes, battery boxes, fuel tanks and other chassis-mounted components. The new engines will also create more underhood heat. Peterbilt said it’s working to mitigate those temperature issues by changing under-hood airflow, incorporating materials with greater heat resistance (hoses, composites and plastics), and developing new concepts in heat shielding, Peterbilt says.

— from heavy Duty Trucking