Trailerbodybuilders 6004 Volvo Flexible
Trailerbodybuilders 6004 Volvo Flexible
Trailerbodybuilders 6004 Volvo Flexible
Trailerbodybuilders 6004 Volvo Flexible
Trailerbodybuilders 6004 Volvo Flexible

Demand for flexible truck specs, connectivity keep growing: Volvo

Jan. 17, 2018
Demand for flexible truck specs, connectivity keep growing: Volvo

The need for more “flexible specs” and more connected systems within commercial trucks are becoming key demands among fleet customers, according to Bruce Kurtt, senior vice president of sales for Volvo Trucks North America (VTNA).

Appointed to that position back in July of last year serving as the OEM’s regional vice president for the Western U.S. – a position now to be filled by Wade Long – Kurtt explained to Fleet Owner that as freight demand increases across the board in trucking, fleets want truck models that can be reconfigured multiple ways to serve multiple markets.

And they want more connectivity in them to help attract younger drivers to the truck driving profession.

“The flexibility of specs is the big one,” he said. “That’s why our new VNR regional tractorhas the horsepower to work as single axle daycab, single axle sleeper, or tandem-axle straight truck.”

He said that as the average length of haul keeps getting shorter, maybe a 70-in. sleeper isn’t needed on every route.

“So customers will take a VNR and put smaller sleeper on it – that gives them a shorter BBC [bumper-to-back-of-cab] and a lighter truck,” Kurtt noted. “That’s an important spec for fuel economy.”

Providing more on-board technology is also becoming a more critical “must-have” feature, too.

“I think the connectivity has taken us to a new level,” Kurtt said. “We do a lot of surveying of drivers and the biggest group that prefers all the connectivity we offer are the younger drivers less than 45 years of age.”

And they want more connectivity in them to help attract younger drivers to the truck driving profession.

“The flexibility of specs is the big one,” he said. “That’s why our new VNR regional tractorhas the horsepower to work as single axle daycab, single axle sleeper, or tandem-axle straight truck.”

He said that as the average length of haul keeps getting shorter, maybe a 70-in. sleeper isn’t needed on every route.

“So customers will take a VNR and put smaller sleeper on it – that gives them a shorter BBC [bumper-to-back-of-cab] and a lighter truck,” Kurtt noted. “That’s an important spec for fuel economy.”

Providing more on-board technology is also becoming a more critical “must-have” feature, too.

“I think the connectivity has taken us to a new level,” Kurtt said. “We do a lot of surveying of drivers and the biggest group that prefers all the connectivity we offer are the younger drivers less than 45 years of age.”