Peterbilt will make front-axle air disc brakes standard across its entire Class 8 truck and tractor line. The announcement capped a highly upbeat press briefing Wednesday, March 30, in which Paccar vice president and Peterbilt general manager Bill Jackson noted that Peterbilt capital investments of more than $30 million are coming to fruition just as the trucking industry is entering a period of modest – yet sustained – economic recovery.
“Our new MX engines with SCR (selective catalytic reduction) emissions technology and advanced aerodynamic truck designs such as the Model 587 and the broadest natural gas lineup in the industry all represent the largest product investment in Peterbilt history,” Jackson said. “As a result, Peterbilt is uniquely positioned at a time when fleets are actively replacing worn out equipment, newer aerodynamic used trucks are beginning to fill used truck lots and the national freight index has shown steady gains over the past two years.”
Jackson says the decision to offer front-axle air disc brakes as standard equipment on all Peterbilt Class 8 trucks is in direct preparation for enhanced federal stopping distance standards that will take effect in August and will mandate a 30 percent increase in braking efficiency for 6×4 Class 8 trucks. “Air disc brakes offer the shortest stopping distances in the market today and provide a compact design, minimizing weight, reducing maintenance and improving both vehicle and operator efficiency,” Jackson said. “That’s why Peterbilt is committed to providing our customers with a standard brake system that improves operating costs while ensuring compliance with government stopping regulations – all while having a positive impact on their bottom line.”
Peterbilt also announced a range of other new products, including a new Speed Control Management System that provides drivers with progressive fuel-efficient shifts while coaching them to drive more fuel-efficiently; a new Model 382 vocational truck in both day cab and extended day cab versions; and an all-wheel-drive version of the Model 348 vocational truck.
Peterbilt’s new SmartNav telematics system is an exclusive driver information system designed to optimize route planning and avoid traffic congestion while providing drivers with truck-specific information en route such as weight restrictions and bridge heights. The new telematics system fully supports the Compliance Safety Accountability requirements for onboard logbooks and provides a host of features designed to make drivers more productive, efficient and comfortable in the cab.
