July-August 2006

From: New Trucks Offer Improvements

Automatics Score With Truckers

More construction truck owners than ever are spec’ing automatic transmissions, and for good reasons. For one, there’s an industry-wide driver shortage, and it’s simpler to train qualified drivers on automatics. And automatics deliver improved productivity and good fuel economy.

An example comes from Toby Sims, president of Sims Trucking in St. Augustine, FL, who sells and distributes tons of dirt to several regional customers. Sims is currently running 12 Sterling L-line dump trucks with Mercedes Benz MBE4000 engines and automatic transmissions.

“When we tried out this combination of a hard-working truck with quality components, we fell in love,” says Sims. “My drivers appreciate the easy operation and Sterling’s comfortable cab, and I appreciate the simple maintenance of the truck.”

In 2003, Sterling introduced updated versions of the medium-duty MBE900 engine and the heavy-duty MBE4000 engine. “Dump truck customers need all the power they can get when hauling a wide range of heavy materials,” says Matt Stevenson, manager of product strategy for Sterling Truck Corp. “The MBE4000 achieves peak torque at just 1,100 rpm for any of the eight power ratings. This enables the engine to pull hills powerfully, require fewer shifts, and provide much-needed fuel economy.”

Chuck Castle, owner of Ironhorse Truck Center in Middleburg, FL, is currently running nine Sterling L-Line tri-axle dump trucks with MBE4000 engines and automatic transmissions. Ironhorse hauls aggregates to construction customers in the region, and Castle says his drivers like the new trucks.

“They appreciate the comfortable interior and easy operation, and I appreciate that they don’t have to worry about shifting so they can concentrate on the task at hand,” says Castle. And he likes the low-maintenance feature of automatics—they have no clutch that needs replacing. Plus, Castle is confident that his Sterling dump trucks will have a high resale value when the time comes to change.

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