Freightliner Taps Students in Search of Ideal Truck

PORTLAND, OR — What, praytell, will the owner-operator of the future want in his or her sleeper berth?

A microwave that won’t cook meat? Upholstery that’s dyed half blue and the other half shaved bald? Maybe a gizmo that keeps a driver Skyped-in 24/7. Or a tranny that features forward, reverse and “gender-neutral.” Or perhaps the berth will  merely be adorned with cult-movie posters and strewn with empty pizza boxes.

Point being, the folks at Freightliner Trucks are trying to determine the ideal owner-operator truck of the future and in their quest, they’re tapping into some of the sparkiest minds around: college kids.

Monday, Freightliner announced its “Design the Future of Pride & Profit” truck design contest.  

Post-secondary students across North America are invited to submit original designs for the owner-operator style truck of the future.

The competition will run from November 2011 through February 2012.

Three finalists, selected by a panel of global Daimler commercial vehicle design experts, will receive an all-expense paid trip to the 2012 Mid-America Trucking Show (MATS), where their designs will be on display at the Freightliner Trucks booth.

The winner will receive a $20,000 scholarship fund and option for a paid internship at Freightliner Trucks.

According to a statement from the company, Freightliner has long offered a variety of innovative products and custom accessories for owner-operators to personalize their trucks while maximizing overall business efficiency.

Says T.J. Reed, director of product marketing for Freightliner Trucks: “The truck design contest will provide us with the opportunity to uncover not only some of the newest and brightest designers, but will also keep us on the leading edge as we create the next generation owner-operators dream truck.”

Judging criteria will cover a broad spectrum of required skills, including concept, overall product appearance, originality, power of emotion, and illustration quality.

For more information about the competition and a complete list of rules, click here.