Die Cast Truck Collection

An Introduction to Collecting Die-Cast TrucksCollecting die-cast trucks is a fun and fascinating hobby. Whether you are interested in casual collecting or if you're a die-hard collector, there is something in this hobby for everyone. When starting out collecting, or if you are purchasing a truck for a collector, there is some basic information that all collectors should know about die-cast trucks.Die-Cast Truck TypesWhile some people collect strictly one type of die-cast vehicle, there are a wide range of vehicle types available. Some collectors focus on antique trucks, and others like to collect trucks from a single manufacturer. Others may focus strictly on a type of truck, such as 18-wheelers, and others may have an interest in farm vehicles or construction equipment. It's important to decide what sort of truck you are most interested in, so you can focus your research and purchasing.Die-Cast Truck ManufacturersThere are many different manufacturers of die-cast trucks. Some of these manufacturers include:· Norscott - Norscott is the primary manufacturer of Caterpillar die-cast construction equipment, as well as other brands such as Peterbilt, Kenworth, Case, Claas, Bell, Liebherr and Yale/Hyster.· Ertl - Ertl is one of the oldest die-cast truck manufacturers. Ertl's primary focus is on farm equipment, and manufactures John Deere and Case/New Holland farm vehicles.· Tonkin - Tonkin focuses on road trucks, primarily 18-wheelers, but their collection also includes log trucks and dump trucks.· New Ray - New Ray Trucks also focus on road trucks, including 18-wheelers and pickup trucks, but their collection also includes specialty trucks such as garbage trucks and tanker trucks.· Yatming - Yatming is a Hong Kong company that manufactures a wide line of fire trucks and police vehicles, in addition to its automobile lines.· Corgi - Corgi is a British manufacturer that specializes in branded trucks and limited edition collectable vehicles.· Tonka - Tonka trucks were manufactured more strictly as toys than many die-cast trucks made today. Tonka is currently owned by Hasbro, and now licenses the Tonka name to Maisto for die-cast vehicles. Today's Tonka trucks include pickup trucks, farm tractors, big rigs and branded trucks.Die-Cast Truck Scales A scale refers to the ratio of the size of the model truck to the size of the actual truck. The primary scales for die-cast vehicles are 1:18, 1:24, 1:43, and 1:64. In a 1:18 scale truck, one inch on the die-cast truck translates to 18 inches on the actual truck. Some collectors prefer one scale of die-cast toy trucks, while other's collect trucks from a variety of scales.Resources for Die-Cast Truck Collectors The majority of resources for die-cast truck collectors are web sites created by die-cast truck manufacturers and sites developed by other collectors. While manufacturer web sites can easily be found with a simple search, it is more difficult to locate non-manufacturer resources.

Truck Warranty Coverage For New And Used Vehicles

Good truck warranty coverage is important whether your truck is new or used. Even though they are extremely similar, there are some slight variations in truck warranty coverage and regular auto warranty coverage.Size of the TruckSizes of truck vary tremendously when you think about all the various types and styles that are available on the market. Often the type of truck warranty coverage that you can obtain on the vehicle will vary depending on the size of the truck.Smaller, passenger trucks typically have very similar truck warranty coverage as regular vehicles. There are additional clauses for truck beds, bed liners and wear and tear.Larger trucks that are often used for commercial purposes have specific coverage for the classification of the trucks. These truck warranty coverage plans are typically more detailed and cover additional things that a normal car warranty would not. For example, there are injectors, turbo charges and even more lubricant parts on a truck than on a regular automobile.Rust and Corrosion Truck Warranty CoverageIt is important to have rust truck warranty coverage. Often the bed of a truck can become damaged when hauling stuff around in the back. Even with a bed liner, water can sit in the truck bed and cause corrosion or rust damage after a certain period of time. No matter what the size or the class of the truck you will want to get rust and corrosion truck warranty on the vehicle.Extended Mileage Truck Warranty CoverageFor trucks that are being driven for commercial uses, it is very important to get extended mileage truck warranty coverage. You will quickly put quite a few miles on your truck before you know it. Typically this type of extended coverage will not be offered at the dealership or by the manufacturer since the truck is not being used strictly for personal use. You will have to shop around and find an auto warranty broker that will give you extended mileage.Wear and Tear Truck Warranty CoverageWear and tear on a truck can be very expensive. The reason is that there are more parts to operate a truck than there is for operating a car. This means more money out of your pocket to run and operate your truck. Through an auto warranty broker you will want to get wear and tear truck warranty coverage. It is well worth the cost of the warranty.Power Train or Drive Train Warranty CoverageThe parts of the truck such as clutch, transmission and axles that can go bad during time can also be quite expensive to replace or repair. This is even true for cars. If you plan on keeping the truck for more than two years, it is very important to get additional power train or drive train truck warranty coverage on the vehicle. You can find more information on auto warranties at http://www.carwarrantypolicies.comComparison ShopWhen you select a truck warranty for your vehicle, do some comparison shopping. Find out specifically what items are or are not covered on the various truck warranty plans. Also, compare the prices and the limitations of the plans. You want to find the truck warranty plan that will give you the most coverage for the least amount of money.Truck Warranty TransferCheck with the dealer of the truck warranty about transfer. If you are planning on up-grading or getting a different truck in the future, you will want to go with an warranty broker that will allow you to transfer your current plan to a different truck.

Let's Talk Half-Ton Trucks

How does your Tow Vehicle Stack up in the Real WorldI was watching television the other night when a Ford commercial came on. They had two competitors vehicles hooked to an 11,000 pound trailer and the guy says something along the lines of, it would take two trucks to tow an 11,000 pound trailer unless you have a Ford F-150 with a fully boxed frame. Now, because of what I do for a living this commercial advertisement immediately got my attention.My first thought was that a fully boxed frame might be a nice feature, but I found it difficult to believe that this was the reason the truck could tow more weight than any other half-ton truck on the planet. The last time I checked, reasons for strong tow ratings were due to factors like the engine, transmission, and rear axle ratio to name a few. This piqued my curiosity and I decided the next morning I would forgo my daily work plan and investigate this claim, that a half-ton Ford F-150 could in fact tow 11,000 pounds safely.The first order of business was to check some published towing guides to confirm Ford's claim. I started with the 2007 Ford Fleet Towing Guide. When I went to the section on half-ton trucks I discovered that the highest published tow rating listed for a half-ton F-150 was 10,500 pounds. Upon further examination I found that there was only one F-150 truck, out of 56 configurations available, with this 10,500 pound rating. It was a regular cab 4X2, with a 144.5 inch wheelbase and a 4.10 axle ratio. But wait there was a footnote, it read that this truck also required a heavy duty payload package, and in parenthesis it said (late availability). I don't know when this towing guide was published, or whether this heavy duty payload package was available at the time of this writing.Let's look at where we're at so far. Out of 56 configurations between Ford F-150 half-ton regular cab, supercab and supercrew trucks, two wheel drive, four wheel drive, short bed and long bed models with 3.55, 3.73 or 4.10 axle ratios there was only one F-150 half-ton truck rated to tow 10,500 pounds. The last time I checked a regular cab, two-wheel drive long wheel base truck was not the favorite choice among the masses in the truck buying category.But wait, there was another problem; the TV ad said Ford had a half-ton F-150 that could tow 11,000 pounds, not 10,500. Before wasting a lot of time, for no reason, I decided to check a couple of other 2007 towing guides I had lying around to see if one of them could clear up some of this confusion. The 2007 RV Business Towing Guide listed 49, F-150 trucks in various configurations, of which the highest tow rating was 9,900 pounds. Again it was a regular cab, two-wheel drive with an 8 foot bed and a 5.4 liter V-8 engine. There were two footnotes which called for an automatic transmission and a 4.10:1 axle ratio. The 2007 Trailer Life Annual Towing Guide listed the same 49, F-150 configurations with the same model rated to tow 9,900 pounds. Now I was thoroughly confused. Can an F-150 tow 9,900, 10,500 or 11,000 pounds? I decided I better contact somebody at Ford about the TV commercial and find out what's going on. Who was right, the television ad or one of the published towing guides?I searched and searched for any of the Ford representatives contact information who might quickly clear this matter up, but soon discovered it was a challenge to get to the top. The closest thing I could come to was a Ford Public Relations phone number I stumbled across on the Internet. I spoke with a young lady about my dilemma; she said she wasn't allowed to give me her name. I explained the problem between the television ad and the published towing guides and she told me that tow ratings are based on how the truck was equipped. I attempted to explain that I thoroughly understood this, but that this didn't answer my question. Her final response was for me to contact a local Ford dealer and they would be able to answer all of my questions. Now I have been at this RV towing thing for quite some time, but for the benefit of the doubt and to comply with the guidance I was given, I contacted a local Ford dealership. I'm glad I didn't have to pay for the phone call because what I already suspected turned out to be right. I talked to the sales department and the service department and nobody could tell me what the highest tow rating for a 2007 F150 was, based on any configuration.I let things rest for a few days, so I could get caught up on some work I was falling behind on. Low and behold I saw the same commercial on TV again. Now rather than just being curious I was starting to be concerned about the huge audience watching this same commercial advertisement. The next morning I did some research on the Internet. I soon discovered this commercial was part of the Ford Challenge advertising campaign. They even have a website for it. Take the challenge. See why Ford is the better choice. I'm sure you have probably seen some of the other Ford challenge commercials involving the Ford Fusion and the Ford Expedition. Basically, the Ford Challenge advertising highlights some of the vehicles features and capabilities as compared to its competition. The F-150 boasts best-in-class payload and towing.In an attempt to be fair, and not make judgment, I tried for a second time to contact somebody at Ford who might clear this matter up. This time I had to settle for sending an email to a customer service department under the listing of sales and advertising. Ten days later I received a response from the Ford Motor Company Customer Relationship Center regarding the maximum trailer weight of a 2007 Ford F-150. It read, "In an effort to assist you, we have researched on your inquiry. As per our resources, the maximum trailer weight in pounds for a properly equipped F-150 without cargo is 10,500 pounds." There was no mention of the advertised 11,000 pound rating in the e-mail response.Now I thought I really need to contact somebody at Ford for an explanation. As a third attempt I went to media.ford.com. This is where all of the media types can access information not readily available to the general public. I registered, listed my credentials and was granted access. After researching the media site I called the point of contact for a press release referencing the F-150 11,000 pound rating, but never heard back. Next I contacted Ford's Manager for North American Marketing and Sales Communications by e-mail. I didn't get a response for over a week, so I called and left a voice mail message. I still haven't heard anything at the time of this writing. Personally I would think somebody at Ford would want to clear this matter up.After some additional research it was my opinion, and my opinion only, that when Ford got wind of the 2007 Toyota Tundra's offering of a 5.7 Liter V-8 with 381 horsepower and 401 lb-ft of torque, they felt threatened a bit. Early on, this year, Toyota stated this half-ton truck would have tow ratings of 10,000+ pounds. An Edmunds.com 2007 Toyota Tundra review stated that a properly equipped 4X2 regular cab Tundra can tow up to 10,800 pounds. This would have been the highest tow ratings in its class for 2007. According to Autodata, Ford saw its F-Series sales slip 14 percent in the first quarter of 2007. Was the Ford claim of 11,000 pounds a result of not being outdone? Not losing sales to its competition? After all, Ford trucks have been the king of the hill for quite some time.I found it interesting that in 2004, 2005 and 2006 the highest tow rating for an F-150 was 9,900 pounds. In August of 2006 Ford announced the 2007 F-150 was capable of towing 10,500, and in January 2007 it was increased to 11,000 pounds. The only difference between these trucks, to justify this increase, is a fully boxed frame??Vehicles go through rigorous testing to determine tow ratings. There are many factors involved like engine size, transmission, wheelbase, axle ratio, brakes, cooling systems, tow packages and much more. The problem that I see with tow ratings is that even though there are many factors involved and there is rigorous testing involved, there is no set standard to measure these things against, at least not that I'm aware of.Let's take a look at some actual specifications between the Ford F-150 and the Toyota Tundra and then we'll do the math. The Ford F-150 in question has a 5.4L V-8 engine with 300 horsepower @ 5,000 RPM and 365 lb-ft @ 3,750 RPM. The Toyota Tundra has a 5.7 L V-8 engine with 381 horsepower @ 5,600 RPM and 401 lb-ft @ 3,600 RPM. Both have a 4.10:1 rear axle ratio. Ford advertises a tow rating of 11,000 pounds and Toyota advertises a tow rating of 10,800. The F-150 has a Gross Combined Weight Rating (GCWR) of 15,800 pounds and the Tundra has a GCWR of 16,000 pounds. It's interesting that the Toyota has the higher horsepower, torque and GCWR, but a lower tow rating!Let's look at a simple formula used to determine vehicle tow ratings. The GCWR is the maximum permissible weight of the fully loaded vehicle and the fully loaded trailer combined. So if we take the GCWR minus the vehicle curb weight (the actual weight of the truck, less passengers and cargo) we know how much weight the truck can tow. In our example we will use the vehicle curb weight listed by the vehicle manufacturer.The Toyota Tundra has a GCWR of 16,000 minus the curb weight of 5,200 = 10,800 pounds, which is the advertised tow rating of the Tundra in our example.The Ford F-150 has a new GCWR of 15,800 minus the curb weight of 5,125 = 10,675 pounds, which is 325 pounds less than the advertised 11,000 pound tow rating. Things don't add up here! And I don't understand how the truck's GCWR increased from 15,300 to 15,800 pounds with little or no change to the truck. Even with the higher GCWR this truck can't tow 11,000 pounds, at least not mathematically.This simple formula works for any towing application. I mentioned that I tried to contact Ford on five separate occasions, to explain this difference in the calculations. The only response I received at the time of this release was from the Ford Motor Company Customer Relationship Center, regarding the maximum trailer weight of a 2007 Ford F-150. It read, "In an effort to assist you, we have researched on your inquiry. As per our resources, the maximum trailer weight in pounds for a properly equipped F-150 without cargo is 10,500 pounds. Without another response from Ford I have to assume that this basic formula, which works in all other scenarios, is correct in this scenario.Perhaps an even larger problem is, the consumer doesn't really understand vehicle tow ratings and nobody on the vehicle manufacturing side of the house is really attempting to educate consumers on this topic. I mean really, advertising an 11,000 pound tow rating to the masses when in reality only one version of the F-150, out of 56 available, can tow close to the advertised weight. And sadly in the real world of towing it can't even do that. Let me explain.When a manufacturer determines a tow rating it is usually based on an empty vehicle, without many options, and the weight of the driver. Most weights used for the driver are listed at 150 pounds. I think the last time I weighed 150 pounds was sometime in junior high school. Here's how this tow thing really works. You want to buy an F-150 to tow a Recreation Vehicle. For starters you want a supercab so there is room for the family. And of course you wouldn't be caught dead without four wheel drive, and it has to be a short wheelbase model. Next on the list, you want something that has decent fuel economy because you will be using it to drive to work when you're not towing the trailer. So you compromise and go with a 4.6 Liter V-8 with a 3.55:1 axle ratio. Out of those 56 configurations of F-150 trucks you now have one to choose from. That's right, one model meets your criteria and the tow rating of your new F-150 is 6,000 pounds, not 11,000.This takes us back to the empty truck with a driver who weighs 150 pounds. Let's look at the real world again. You have a wife and two children whose combined weight is 330 pounds, being conservative. The additional options you want on your truck like the bed liner, brush guard and side steps added 150 pounds, again being conservative. Now, do you plan to put anything in the back of the truck when you go camping? Well it's a good place for the bikes and lawn chairs, and don't forget about your tool box. Since we have been conservative to this point we'll just add another 130 pounds for cargo. And the difference between your actual weight and the 150 pound driver is, let's say 40 pounds which in my case is still on the conservative side. Now let's do the math. A 6,000 pound tow rating minus 650 pounds of added weight equals a 5,350 pound tow rating. You see, everything you add on, or load in to the truck takes that same amount away from the vehicles tow rating.Oh and don't forget the tongue weight of the trailer you're towing. Additional weight like tongue weight and other weight added to the vehicle cannot exceed any vehicle weight ratings like the Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR) and the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR). While were on the subject of weights, I mentioned another weight rating earlier that isn't talked about very often, the Gross Combined Weight Rating (GCWR). In the real world the GCWR is very important when you are talking about towing because it is the maximum permissible weight of the fully loaded tow vehicle and the fully loaded trailer combined. If you go to a set of scales and weigh the fully loaded truck and the fully loaded trailer it cannot exceed the GCWR of the tow vehicle. We can go one step further and say that regardless of the advertised tow rating if you subtract the curb weight of the vehicle (plus any added weight) from the tow vehicle's GCWR it will give you the amount of weight the vehicle can actually tow. In our last example the GCWR for the truck in our example was 11,500. The curb weight was about 5,360 plus our added weight of 650 pounds. But don't forget to subtract the 150 pound driver. So our truck can tow 5,340 pounds before it exceeds the GCWR. The GCWR takes all factors into consideration, unlike the vehicle tow rating. Head to the scales to find out how things stack up in the real world of towing.It doesn't stop here; there are many other things to consider. For example the hitch receiver on the back of the tow vehicle has a weight rating too. The truck might be able to tow 5,340 pounds, but if the receiver is rated for 5,000 pounds that's the most you can tow. You see everything in the towing system is based on the weakest link in the system.
As you can see there is a lot more involved with tow ratings than a television commercial advertising a fully boxed frame. I could write an entire book on the topic. Well, actually I did. Much more information is available in my book, The RV Book, and DVD titled Trailer Towing, Weights, Hitchwork & Backing, available at http://www.rveducation101.comAll I really know is the last trailer I owned weighed in at about 7,300 pounds when it was loaded to go camping. My ¾ ton truck at the time had a tow rating of 8,800 pounds and I was below the GCWR. Towing the trailer was not always a pleasurable experience. I get nervous when I hear about a ½ ton truck capable of towing 11,000 pounds, don't you?Here is my Ford Challenge to Ford. Let me review this one ½ ton F-150 that can tow 11,000 pounds. I'll hook it up to an 11,000 pound trailer, take a test drive and write a review. If I'm wrong about my doubts that it can tow an 11,000 pound trailer safely and effortlessly I'll be the first to admit it. I'll keep checking my e-mail, but won't get my hopes up.I'll leave you with a few thoughts to ponder:1) Don't let commercial advertising plant a seed that all F-150 trucks can tow 11,000 pounds, when in fact only one model is rated for 10,500, at least that's what the Ford towing guide says. And then do the math and see what that one truck can tow in the real world.2) Are truck manufacturers crossing a fine line with advertised tow ratings? I have been involved in a few legal cases, as an expert witness, where people were paralyzed and killed. The common factor in these cases involved improperly matched tow vehicles and trailers. Don't depend on automobile dealerships and RV dealerships to always give you 100% accurate information. Do your homework before purchasing a tow vehicle and trailer.3) Are RV manufacturers building trailers too heavy for today's trucks? Is this the reason for increased tow ratings? If a trailer has a GVWR that is higher than the tow rating of your vehicle it is a mismatch. If you load the trailer to its GVWR you will exceed your tow vehicle rating.4) At this rate what will happen with tow ratings by 2010?UPDATE: 1 JUNE 2007
After numerous attempts to contact Ford representatives and after writing this article I was finally contacted by the Ford Public Relations Group, Ford Truck Commercial Manager. I believe that was his title. He claimed that the Gross Combined Weight Rating for the half-ton truck in question was raised from 15,800 pounds to 16,400 pounds, as of 31 May 2007. It was originally 15,300 pounds, then 15,800 and now 16,400. I questioned what changed on the vehicle to account for the latest increase in the GCWR and was told the shackle and bumper attachments were improved and something about the unique tires the truck had. He also informed me that the truck passed the same rigorous truck durability testing cycle that all Fords trucks are put through to determine its capabilities. On more than one occasion he mentioned that Ford was not just manipulating the numbers. One problem I still see is that there is no standardized testing for vehicles to determine tow capacities, so basically it is left to the manufacturer to determine ratings. I still have my doubts about any half-ton truck being able to safely tow 11,000 pounds, but for the record Ford finally came forward and said their truck can do it. I'll let you, the consumer, be the judge.Readers comments:
http://www.rvuniversity.com/article.php/20070607122121304Happy CampingMark PolkCopyright 2007 by Mark J. Polk owner rveducation101.com

Protecting Your Truck With Truck Tops, Truck Bed Covers, and Lids

It is not enough that you clean your truck everyday for you to assume that it is protected. You have to purchase accessories that will help you keep the cleanliness of your truck as well as protects it from any form of damages and from theft.If there is a truck part that needs protection the most it's the truck bed. Basically because it's the most exposed part of the truck and therefore calls for a great amount of truck bed protection. There are different types of bed protection that may be employed for your trucks such as the placement of truck tops which are often referred to as camper shells, caps, cab extenders, cabs, lids, toppers, half cabs, or boots.The truck tops are simply attached to a truck's bed to produce a cargo space that is protected from the weather and from theft. Aside from protection, truck tops also help in improving fuel efficiency by enhancing the aerodynamics of the truck.Truck tops are made from two types of materials--fiberglass or aluminum. These truck tops are made from custom molds that are designed specifically to suit a particular truck make, model, and year. The contour around the cab is also being taken into consideration when fitting truck tops to obtain a nice custom fit and a sleek look. The price of the truck tops would again depend on the particular truck make, model, and year. You may also match the truck top's color with the paint job of your truck by simply telling the truck top manufacturer of the color that you want.Things to consider before purchasing a truck topo Truck tops are considerably heavy and often prove somewhat difficult to remove and replace on a frequent basis. It usually requires for at least 2 people to remove them however there are some truck tops that come with a lift system making it easier to maneuver the truck tops.o Before you purchase a truck top be sure that you determine the features that you would like to add as an option to the standard truck top. You may choose from the following options: third brake lights, gas-assisted shocks, interior dome lights, tempered safety glass, paint finish, side and/or rear window packages, clothes rod, carpeted interior, style of trim, power locks, windshield wiper & washer, defrost system, spoilers, air deflectors, side access doors, utility racks, and roof mounted racks. Note: in some models these features are standard while in others they're offered as an option.o Always purchase from manufacturers that makes a custom fit for your particular vehicle make and model although majority of the truck tops manufactured today will fit most of the model but still there are some that do not.Truck Bed Covers and LidsAside from truck tops there are also other bed protections that are available for truck owners such as truck bed covers which include tonneaus, tonnos, and lids. These are placed as attachments to the pickup truck's bed to provide protection from weather as well as security from theft enabling truck owners to store items in the bed.Truck bed covers and lids are different from truck tops since they do not create additional vertical cargo space. Aside from that, bed covers are best for those who want the benefits of the truck top but do not want the complexity that comes with it. Truck bed covers also provide additional benefit such as reduce wind drag at the tailgate resulting to an overall fuel economy. They also provide a strong, rigid canopy cover over the pickup bed.Most of truck covers worked with under the rail and over the rail bed liners. Plus there is no restriction on the tailgate in any way since it allows truck owners to simply open the tailgate without having to take off the entire cover. Another advantage of using truck bed covers is the fact that there is no drilling required into the truck bed.In terms of colors, black is the standard color offered by most manufacturers since it suits every truck paint job however there are also truck bed cover manufacturers that offer a variety of other colors.Hard or Soft?Another thing to take into consideration when purchasing a truck bed cover is the material whether you want hard or soft covers.Hard and soft truck bed covers have their respective advantages. The hard covers since they are hard and more compact can't simply be blown away even at highway speeds. They are available with hinge systems which make it easy to lift the cover to add/remove cargo. They are also lockable and therefore give security from theft. They are waterproof and may be painted to match the vehicle. However since they weigh more they can prove to be tricky to remove and reinstall on a frequent basis. Hard covers are also more costly than vinyl.Soft covers on the other hand are very easy to remove and can be reinstalled as often as you want. They also provide a less rigid top than hard covers and are easily removed for hauling tall cargo. There are also some soft covers that come with adjusters, allowing you to select the tension you desire.

Culmination of the Semi Truck Industry's Best - The 2007 Mid America Trucking Show

Related to the heavy duty truck industry? Then you ought to head to the...2007 Mid America Trucking Show. The four-day show is live from March 22 through March 24 in Louisville, Kentucky.The 2007 Mid-America Trucking Show will encompass an incredible 1,000,000 square feet of exhibit space and more than 1,000 exhibiting companies making it the largest trucking show in the world! Attendance this year is expected to exceed 100,000.The semi truck showcase event of the year is marked by the presence of who's who from the trucking world. It provides an opportunity for those companies that manufacture semi trucks and semi truck accessories, to display their latest products and highlight the technological advancement achieved by them. Equipment and services of every conceivable description, representing the most innovative technology and advanced developments in the industry will be on display!The history of the Mid America Trucking Show began in the early 1970s when Paul K.Young formed a private management group. The aim was to come up with the largest trucking show of the United States that will cater to the diverse needs of trucking professionals' right from trucks to truck chassis and vans to forklifts. The first show was held in 1972. It recorded the presence of 80 exhibitors and 4000 visitors. The popularity of the show kept on rising and the year 2006 saw the exhibitors crossing the 1000 mark and the attendance of 80,291 trucking professionals.The Mid America Trucking Show ranks as the "must attend" event for manufacturers, owner operators and trucking companies, some who venture clear across the country to the event that typically kicks off the semi truck and semi truck accessory buying seasons for fleets and individual owner operator truck drivers. As one who has attended the event for the past three years, I can assure you it is "the" event of the year for the heavy duty truck industry.This year's event will be highlighted by Great American, one of the nation's leading insurers of independent owner operators, who will give away more than just a bag of trade show trinkets at the this year's Mid-America Trucking Show. One lucky owner operator winner will be chosen at random to receive the keys to a 2002 Freightliner Classic XL. This Freightliner will be completely 'tricked out', according to Tim Clinton, Director of Marketing for Great American's Trucking Division..But still, you would question 'What can I look forward to from the biggest event in the trucking industry'? Well, I know one place you'll find a large number of big rig semi truck accessory junkies, truck owners and fans. The highlight of the show for many owner operators is the third annual Big Rig Build Off.The Big Rig Build Off takes place in the parking lot behind the convention center. Even for the most casual truck show fan, this is largest collection of tricked out semi trucks you will see this side of heaven. Independent truck drives from across the country bring their flat out gorgeous big rigs to display at this show. You'll see incredible paint jobs, big truck chrome and thousand of LED lights that makes many a head turn as these trucks cruise the heartland of America.So, if you want to know about the latest innovations in semi trucks and semi truck accessories, or you are a semi truck owner operator seriously considering a semi truck purchase in the near future, then you should check out Mid America Trucking Show.

Truck Seat Covers For Monster Protection

If you want some hard action when driving, trucks are the most appropriate vehicles. Of course, if you want to protect your truck's car seats, you will need more than just ordinary seat covers. What you need is a seat cover that is equally strong and reliable like its user - truck seat covers. Truck seat covers provide optimum protection to your upholsteries and renders advantages in many ways.1. CreativityTruck seat covers give your truck a distinctive display or design. This can either illuminate your truck's interior design or amplify its contents!2. ProtectionWhat could be more important in driving your monster truck but to protect it so as to keep it in top shape? Truck seat covers are ergonomically designed to render utmost protection against harmful elements that may trigger your upholsteries deterioration. Plus, if your seats are already destroyed or have holes in them, a seat cover can effectively hide those unsightly aspects of your seats and at the same time provide optimal comfort.3. Normal Wear And TearTrucks are like SUVs or Family Sedans - the whole family can be accommodated, trucks are most often used in camping, picnics, and other vigorous activities because they can carry more load compared with what SUVs and cars can do. And so, because of increased exposure to a lot of elements brought about by different activities, trucks are vulnerable to a lot of harmful elements that mat destroy the seats like:Moisture.Whether your family went swimming, surfing, or even mountain climbing or strolling, the moisture left in your clothes can have great effects on your truck's upholstery. Generally, most truck's upholstery is made up of leather. And we all know for a fact that leathers hate waters. It is their number one enemy. And so, protecting them with truck seat covers against moisture will provide a longer life span for your truck upholstery.FrictionNo one would ever think that the actual activity of getting in and out of the truck can put more pressure upon the seats. And the friction that is initiated by merely rubbing against your truck's upholstery is enough to damage your seats. You will only see the effects as time wears it out. And so, the most feasible way to avoid such spoilage is to cover up them up with truck seat covers. It will provide enough barriers against you and your upholstery.Ultraviolet destructionWhat you thought is only harmful to the skin is equally damaging to your truck's upholstery. Because upholsteries are made up of leather, they are vulnerable to sun damage because the ultraviolet rays of the suns dries out the oils present in the leather seats. Without these lubricants, the upholstery may dry out and eventually will crack. So, to avoid this kind of problem, it is best to cover your truck's upholstery with truck seat covers.Unavoidable accidents.We all know for a fact that accidents do happen and they are really unavoidable. Such case applies to your truck's upholstery. Without the protection that truck seat covers can bring, your upholstery is doomed to accidents like spills, oily stuffs from potato chips, pet's dung, and other dirty elements. But if you have your upholstery covered up with nice sets of truck seat covers, you can be assured of stain-free truck seats ahead.4. Different Kinds of Truck Seat CoversTruck seat covers vary with different colors and designs. But what makes it more appropriate protection for your truck seats is that it is available in three different fittings, individually capable of providing you the kinds of fitting that you want.Semi-custom fittingsAmong the three truck seat covers, semi-custom fit is the most common among truck owners. This is because most trucks have different huge seats that typical fittings cannot be accommodated. And so, with a combination of custom-made and a little patterned design, semi-custom fit is the ideal truck seat covers for every truck users.2. Custom seatThese are exclusively tailor-made just for your truck's seats. In making these seat covers, careful considerations where given to every details of your seats. That is why custom fittings are more expensive than the other two.3. Ultimate fit covers.The last type of fittings in trucks is the Ultimate Seat covers. It is made up of original automotive grade fabric that is specially designed to give the truck's upholstery utmost protection.

Choose From A Wide Variety Of Off Road RC Trucks To Play In The Dirt

Are you tired of driving your cars only on the road? Are you looking to get a little bit dirty? Or even a lot dirty? If you need a change from RC street racing, it is time to go off-road with the extreme off-road RC trucks. With a large variety of RC trucks to choose from, there is something for everybody, and every skill level.Why an RC Truck?If you have experience with RC cars, you might be thinking, why do I need an RC truck? What is wrong with my RC car? Well if you currently drive a streetcar, you do not know what you are missing. With a remote control truck, you can live out all your 4 x 4 dreams. Depending on the type of truck you get, you can take your truck in the dirt, in the mud, through snow and ice and even drive it through streams and puddles!Get wet and dirty with extreme RC Trucks! The types of trucks that you can buy range quite dramatically. The most popular types of RC trucks are:1) Monster trucks2) Sport trucks3) Suburban style4) Hummers5) Ford stylesYou can get RC trucks in almost any make; however, the Hummer styles have become quite popular as well as the Ford styles. This is likely due to their reputation as being rough and tough trucks.Can You Race RC Trucks?RC trucks are not only for taking off-road. You can experience the speed and thrill of the race by racing your trucks as well. There is a whole segment of Radio Control trucks that are mean solely for racing. These trucks are generally built with a smaller body and are designed to be lightweight so that they can go faster. In order to race off-road trucks successfully you need the perfect combination of a fast truck, a rugged truck, and a light truck.You can race off-road trucks on specially designed dirt racetracks with obstacles and jumps. Some tracks are especially designed with ramps, mud puddles and obstacles that you need to race through and avoid all together.Other racetracks are built the same as RC car tracks. These courses are built for speed and are carried out on pavement or some other track like surface.What Is The Best Type Of RC Off Road Truck?There are many different types of off road truck, and the best kind depends on what you are looking for. The first thing that you need to determine is if you are looking for an electric or nitro vehicle. The electric trucks are typically less expensive; however, they are not usually as fast or as rugged as their gas-powered counterparts are.A good quality off road 4x4 car is the Traxxas Stampede. This is an extra tough and powerful truck. The Stampede is known as the pit-bull of trucks because it is the meanest and toughest around. With its huge tires and high clearance, this truck can handle all types of terrain. Because of the quality, rugged construction, this truck is especially for first time RC truck owners. First time drivers can be especially tough on a truck as they learn how to manage their vehicles. You do not have to worry about breaking a Traxxas Stampede truck easily. The truck comes with a fully assembled chassis, a ball bearing equipped engine with a recoil starter. The truck comes ready to run, just paint whichever color you choose, add the decals and you are ready to drive.The T-Maxx is another great 4 x 4 truck. This truck is built for racing with 60 percent more horsepower than you can find from other racing engines. This truck is nice and lightweight, which is the perfect formula for off-road truck racing. Every good racer knows that you need more power and less weight in order to achieve faster speeds and quick acceleration. With the T-Maxx truck, you achieve top speeds in excess of 40 miles per hour, and do wheelies on demand. This is the perfect truck for performance-minded drivers.The Final WordThere are many different types of off-road extreme RC trucks. The type of truck that you choose will depend on what you are looking for, and what your budget allows. If you are looking at an electric truck, the prices will start around $100. The prices on these trucks increase as you add features, and nitro-fueled trucks are more expensive as well. No matter what type of off road RC you choose, you are sure to have fun feeling like a kid again, driving it through the mud, snow, and taking it off dirt jumps. Whether you are a professional or a hobbyist, the name of the game is to have fun.© 2005 [http://www.rc-cars-now.com]

Volvo Trucks - The History of Volvo Trucks

Volvo Trucks has its headquarters in Sweden and is considered to be the second biggest brand of heavy truck manufacturer. It is owned by Volvo Group-AB Volvo. As of 2011, Volvo was making their trucks in 15 different countries and has been selling more than 100,000 trucks a year all over the world. The Volvo Group also consists of trucking companies Renault, Mack, and UD trucks.Early History of Volvo TrucksVolvo produced its first truck in 1928, but had also been making cars the year before. The first truck was the LV series 1. It came with a 2.0 L four-cylinder engine that had 29 horsepower and that first year they sold 500 of this model. While most trucks of this era had chain-drive systems and solid rubber tires, Volvo was being innovative and the LV truck was shaft-driven and had pneumatic tires.This model was much more of a success than Volvo expected and unlike other trucks made in the 20s, Volvo had designed the entire vehicle. After the first 500 sold out quickly, they had to hurry to do a second series of 500 more trucks, which were considered Series 2 and had a few modifications, such as widening its track to 1,460 mm, and reducing the previous double rear axle to only one, which made it safer, though it drove slower.Volvo Produces First Six Cylinder TrucksIn 1929, Volvo Trucks came out with the very first six cylinder truck, dubbing it the Series 3 truck. It was fairly close to the Series 2 trucks in design however, so only the motor was different. It had wooden wheels, which were not that practical for heavy work and its two wheeled brakes were not considered as safe as brakes nowadays for the weight of these medium duty vehicles. The company manufactured and sold about 3,000 of these trucks.Volvo Makes First Three Axle TrucksIn the 1930s, Volvo came out with their first truck with three axles, which was called the LV64 LF. It was made to comply with the rules then that only allowed smaller loads on each axle due to the fact the roads in the 30s were pretty terrible.Volvo Trucks in the 1930sThe 1930s was when Volvo began to be a lot better at making more modern style trucks and their trucks were using diesel fuel and changed from wooden to steel wheels and to hydraulic style safer brakes.With this move to be more innovative, Volvo became a more dominant force in the Nordic countries for selling and making trucks, and by the end of the 30s they were more recognized in the world of heavy and medium weight trucks.The LV series of trucks were considered more modern and helped to get Volvo established as a big exporter of trucks to countries all over the world. During this time frame Volvo continued to make improvements in their trucks, making chassis changes, longer wheelbases in some models, and larger margins for overload in off road style trucks.Especially the LV 8 and 9 were considered to be models that helped Volvo have a stronger position as a major player in producing trucks. In these models, the truck engine was moved from the usual spot behind a front axle to sit on the top of the front axle, which helped make for better distribution of axle load. Since there were road restrictions concerning axle weight, this made these two trucks very popular.Plus, these trucks had a more aerodynamic design and were rounded instead of having the usual more vertical or horizontal shapes. Plus, drivers were happy that these trucks had a standard heater, which many at that time didn't have. The LV 8 and 9 were also more able to be modified and adapted to do a variety of jobs.Volvo in the 1940sWorld War II in the 1940s caused Volvo to go into producing trucks for the Swedish army more so than for anyone else. This relationship with the military helped Volvo long term because it gave them a chance to develop rough terrain trucks that later could be produced for the construction field.By the mid 1940s Volvo was getting more experienced in the heavy duty type trucks, something they hadn't done much of prior to the war. The L29 trucks that came out were a more powerful style with a diesel engine and were introduced in 1946. The Swedish road commission was pleased with them because these trucks were good at handling the harsh weather and in helping with road construction in Sweden.Volvo's First Diesel EngineVolvo also made their first diesel engine in the 40s called the VDA, or Volvo Diesel Type A, which was a pre-combustion style of motor. However, it proved to be hard to get going in cold weather, so a newer version was brought out in 1946 and became very popular in Volvo's trucks. The later LV series of Volvo trucks had this new diesel engine in some of them.Volvo Trucks in the 1950sVolvo's next vital change in their motors came in the 50s, when they change to a direct ignition VDC engine, which was better in fuel consumption levels. It is considered the ancestor to today's Volvo truck engine. Volvo was considered a pioneer in using a turbo charged engine that was stronger and more efficient. Plus, Volvo was then able to make heavier weight and longer style of trucks.Volvo in the 1960s through the 1990sTrucks were very popular for transportation by the 60s and were becoming a more flexible tool. By then, the truck cabs had rubber suspension systems, more visibility due to higher up cabs, and more comfort for drivers in the seats as well.The 1970s brought more refinements for trucks in general and they had tilt cabs, turbocharged engines, better horsepower, and could go faster. Two very dramatic entries into the world of Volvo trucks were the F10 and 12 trucks that were made in 1977. They had better ergonomics and were safer and set the stage for trucks of the next few decades.In the 1980s, trucks were getting more sophisticated with stronger and better motors, air suspension systems, and more earth friendly features, plus more ways to make the truck drivers more comfortable on those long hauls across the country.Plus, trucks were getting even more valuable as a means of transporting goods and services across the U.S. and elsewhere and were considered very efficient, especially when they could combine them with sending products from the manufacturer to the rails, sea or air by bringing them from their originating places by truck.Trucks were getting safer, had cleaner emissions, were less noisy, had better engines and were getting more refined in several ways.Volvo TodayToday, Volvo is going strong and has manufacturing in Sweden, Belgium, South Africa, the US, Brazil, Australia, India, China, and Russia and several other places. They are famous for being a global presence in truck manufacturing.The 21st Century Volvo truck is even stronger, as well as being safer and more earth friendly that it has ever been. They make several models of trucks all over the globe and by 2011 Volvo had made more than half a million trucks in the U.S. alone. The Volvo Group is a leader in the manufacturing of trucks, buses and construction gear and is a lead producer of heavy duty diesel engines worldwide.Volvo Trucks produces vehicles in 19 countries and sells them in more than 180 markets worldwide and is still taking innovative steps in the world of trucking.

GMC Trucks - 100 Years of Heavy-Duty Trucks

History of GMC TrucksWhen it comes to trucks, GMC is known the world over for its production of a variety of trucks from service trucks and commercial vehicles to pickup trucks. It had its beginnings with a commercial hauling truck company created in 1902 by Max Grabowsky called the Rapid Motor Vehicle Company.Seven years later, General Motors bought out Grabowsky's business because they wanted to form their own trucking company, which was called General Motors Truck Company. They added Reliance Motors to their inventory in 1911, and in 1912 GMC (General Motors Corporation) Trucks was born out of those two acquisitions.GMC - The Early YearsGMC produced a mere 372 trucks out of the nationwide total of 22,000 trucks that first year, which pales in comparison to the millions of commercial vehicles they produce today. An interesting note though is that GMC was a forerunner in battery-powered electric model trucks and made nine different models ranging from one-half to six tons capacity.In an effort to bring up their popularity, GMC Trucks put on a publicity stunt in 1916 featuring one of their truck models. William Warwick drove a loaded GMC 1-1/2-ton truck from Seattle to New York and back, making it the very first truck to cross the entire USA in less than 32 days.GMC During World War IThe venture may have worked, as that same year the Army went with ¾ ton GMC trucks as part of their fleet of vehicles. In fact, WWI brought major breakthroughs for their business, as 90 percent of all its production was bought by the military from 1917 and 1919. GMC delivered 8,500 vehicles to the Army during those years.GMC Trucks After World War IThe next few years brought more innovation in the GMC Truck production as pneumatic tires replaced solid rubber tires in 1920, and their K model trucks came out that year as well with a capacity between ¾ and five tons. The following year electric lights replaced what had been oil lamps as standard gear on all trucks as well and seven speed transmissions became the standard for heavyweight trucks.By 1923, GMC trucks had capacities ranging up to 10 tons if you counted the trailer. Rear wheel brakes were starting to be used on some models by 1925.The company expanded by 1927 when they built a truck assembly plant in Pontiac, Michigan which was the biggest truck building plant in the world then at 26 acres of property.That same year the company brought out their T model of trucks with a ½ ton panel express truck and a screen side express truck and "Cannon Ball" Baker drove a T model 40 GMC tank truck full of water from the Atlantic Ocean all the way from New York to San Francisco in under six days, which set a speed record for heavy-duty trucks.GMC continued its innovative strategies when it started providing tandem driving rear axles for their heavyweight service trucks in 1930 and the following year it was a GMC T-95 model truck that pulled a refrigerated GMC trailer full of fresh produce from Los Angeles to New York, setting another record.Between 1931 and 1940 GMC Trucks were producing more than 20 models of truck trailer chassis, 15 new models of different weight trucks, and it had added several models of heavy weight trucks to its lines.GMC During World War IIThe next war also seemed to benefit GMC as their production numbers continued to escalate with all of its trucks going to the war effort by 1942. GMC built 600,000 trucks during this time frame for the military. In fact, GMC trucks were presented the E Award for Excellence in 1944 because of its help in the war effort.GMC After the WarThe company was back to making trucks for the civilian market by then, but had some issues with a six-month long strike by its workers in 1946 that briefly slowed things down. Even so, by 1950 it proudly had 75 models of trucks going through its production lines.In 1954 GMC Trucks offered power steering for the first time on some models and in 1956 tubeless tires were standard, and they were the first to put air suspension on front and rear axles on some of their heavy weight model trucks.GMC Trucks continues to GrowBetween the 50s and the 60s GMC grew even larger and by 1968 they were considered the third largest truck producer in the world. Once again they prospered in the war effort and produced more than 9,000 trucks for the military in 1951. They were M-135 series that had the ability to ford deep water, thus being very useful for military operations.The company again showed how GMC was first in implementing innovative features when in 1967 they produced trucks with energy absorbing steering columns, instrument panel pads and dual brake systems well before they were required by the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards.GMC Trucks Between 1970 and 2012GMC continued its truck production over the next several decades, weathering many difficulties changes in production lines, increasing production costs, competition from foreign companies, problems with the fuel shortages in the middle 1970s and deregulation and recession issues in 1980s. The problems were so severe, that some trucking companies went out of business. The production plant in Pontiac was also torn down in late 1980s and the production was moved to Janesville, Wisconsin.GMC's high points include placing third in the production of trucks in the U.S., being chosen as the official truck of the 1984 Olympics and in 1988 they stopped making heavyweight trucks, in 1990 electronic fuel injection became the norm, and by 1996 the name was shortened to just GMC, instead of GMC Trucks and they merged with Pontiac Motor Division to form Pontiac GMC Division of General Motors.The following year all of its commercial vehicles production was moved to Flint, Michigan. Since then, GMC Trucks has continued to grow and produce award-winning trucks of all kinds with production and distribution all over the globe.GMC Trucks will celebrate a milestone anniversary in 2012 - 100 years of truck manufacturing.

Peterbilt Trucks - From Chain Drive to the Peterbilt 379

Peterbilt trucks are made by the Peterbilt Motors Company, which has its headquarters in Denton, Texas. The American truck manufacture was started in 1939 by then lumber entrepreneur and plywood maker, T.A. Peterman.Peterbilt Trucks - The Early Years
Peterman was a man with a dream to get the truck business going stronger so he could get his logs to market easier and faster. At the time, Peterman was actually working towards that dream by rebuilding army trucks he bought at surplus, thus learning how to improve them. In 1938 he bought Fageol Motors in Oakland, California in order to use it to start making his custom made chain-driven trucks. The following year he started selling them to the public, which was the real beginning of Peterbilt Trucks.During the 30s long haul trucking was becoming very popular. It was the Depression and many companies that built commercial trucks were losing ground and going out of business. That is how Peterman was able to get the Fageol Motors Company. Prior to his purchase of them, the company had been making heavy weight trucks and buses for 17 years.Peterman built 14 trucks in 1939, but that number leapt to 82 the following year, demonstrating to Peterman that the trucking industry was definitely interested in the quality made trucks of Peterbilt. Peterman was famous for knowing exactly what the trucker wanted and needed because he sent his own engineers out to talk to truckers. They were required to know what the men in the field liked and disliked before designing a single new truck. Peterman also got the military contract during World War II to make heavy duty trucks. This helped him to get ready to re-enter the civilian market as well after the war.After World War II, Peterbilt Trucks Marches Forward
Even death didn't stop Peterbilt trucks. Peterman died in 1945. After his death, the company was inherited by Peterman's widow, Ida. His wife promptly sold the company's assets, but didn't sell the property, to seven of the company's managers with the thought of maintaining and building up the company. However, since she didn't sell them the property, the new owners had to scramble for a new location several years later in 1958 when Ida said she was going to sell the land to build a shopping mall.Due to this, the company changed hands and Peterbilt was bought by Paul Pigott, owner of the Pacific Car and Foundry. He built a brand new facility for the company in Newark, California, and in 1960 Peterbilt trucks were again being manufactured. Pigott kept the name even though he also owned Kenworth trucks and ran both companies. The ironic thing is that Peterbilt was his stiffest competitor, even though he actually owned both companies.Peterbilt continues to grow strong
In 1960 Peterbilt put out 800 trucks and sales kept on increasing as more and more people began to trust and love the quality made trucks. The company was soon unable to make as many as the customers desired, so Peterbilt expanded to two manufacturing plants and built one in Madison, Tenn in 1969.By 1973 Peterbilt was delivering more than 8,000 of its trucks and by 1975, it had opened up a version of Peterbilt in Canada. By 1980 it had another plant in Denton, Texas and by 1993 their headquarters was in California where it still is to this day. Denton become the sole manufacturing plant to build Peterbilt's 362 COE model truck.Peterbilt's Truck Lines
Peterbilt lines originally had model numbers that started with a number 2, which stood for single axle models and a number 3 for those with a dual drive. However, by the late 1970s, they stopped doing this sort of distinction. Some of the more distinctive or well known models were:- 200/265: This was a smaller truck that had a cab based on a Volkswagen MAN G90 and it is still being made in Brazil.- 260/360: This is the actual first model of Peterbilt trucks.- 280/350: This model was built between 1949 and 1957 and was known for its unique cycle style fenders in the front and having a long style grill that had vertical shutters on it.-281/351: This version of the Peterbilt model of truck was made from 1954 to 1976. One of its main claims to fame is that a model 281 appeared in the Steven Spielberg 1971 movie, Duel, where an evil truck was trying to kill people. It was a 1950 year version of that model of the 281 Peterbilt truck.- 282/352: This version of the Peterbilt trucks had a tilt-cab cab-over-engine and was the model that came out after the 351, which was a non-tilting cab-over style. It was called the Pacemaker after someone won a contest to name it and got a color television as a prize. The Pacemaker also was developed as a 352 model and won fame when it appeared on the Knight Rider TV show as the evil super truck named Goliath, as well as being the model that was being sung about in the truck song, Convoy.- 358: This model was the company's very first tilt hood style truck. It was sold until 1976.- 359: This model of Petebilt truck was sold from 1967 to 1987. The 1100 series of these had a bulkhead style of door that is still in used today.- 346: This is a very rare version of the Peterbilt brand and a mere 10 of these trucks were built from 1972 to 1975. It was meant to be used to mix concrete, or as a dump truck or snow plow type truck.- 348: The model 348 was sold between 1970 and 1986 and had a sloped fiberglass hood for better visibility. It was the first fiberglass hood Peterbilt made.- 353: The 353 replaced flat fender models and instead had pit style fenders. It was used in construction.- 387: The 387 Peterbilt trucks were also made in 1976 to 1987. It had a heavy weight frame, flat fenders, undercab steps, big bumper and was used to carry coal.- 362: The 362 became the Peterbilt flagship truck in 1981. It had two kinds of windshield wipers, one was a one-piece center style and the other had either three or two wipers. It also introduced a front axle that was set back and had longer springs in the front. The last one was made in 2005.- 372: This Peterbilt model is considered the one that is the most aerodynamic, the cab nose piece can be flipped forward so that it is easy to do maintenance on it. It was made from 1988 to 1993. It's said that it has a sort of Darth Vader like look because it looks somewhat like a helmet shape.- 377: This model incorporated some headlights into the fenders and was also considered aerodynamic. It was made with a front axle that was set forward, as well as one that was set back. It was made from 1987 to 2000.- 378: This Peterbilt truck had a steep fiberglass design on its hood and came as a front axle that was set back in its design. It was popular for over the road, as well as local trucking.- 357: The 357 was similar in style to the 378, but was more of a heavy weight than it was. This is because it was designed for construction. It also came with flat fenders, a new style of hood and grill that it had put on in 2004.This vocational style hood was created for clients who wanted front engine power. It was very popular in the heavy haul trucking industry.- 385: The 385 model was made between 1996 and 2007. It was meant to be a competitor to a truck put out by the Freightliner brand, the FLD.- 379: Between 1987 and 2007 this was Peterbilt's main flagship truck. A claim to fame is that Autobot leader Optimus Prime was shown as a 1997 Peterbilt Model-379 Extended Hood truck in the Transformer's movie.- 389: this model ushered in some of the changes in Peterbilt models to make them compliant to 2007 EPA standards.Many more styles and models of Peterbilt trucks have come out since this time and the company is still going strong with many truckers desiring to drive and or own a model of the legendary Peterbilt Trucks.

Kenworth Trucks - A Humble Beginning to an Innovative Giant

Kenworth Trucks - a Humble BeginningKenworth Trucks originally started when a man named Edgar Worthington who was merely the manager of a building that his mother owned, took an interest in one of the struggling tenants.Making the Transition from Tenant to Owner That tenant was the Gerlinger Motor Car Company, and the company wasn't doing very well. But then, it put out its first truck in 1915, which was the Gersix, a six-cylinder truck. Two years later Worthington bought the company, which at the time had two offices: Seattle and Portland, and renamed it the Gersix Motor Company, and partnered with Fredrick Kent. Kent's son Harry, took it over from him in 1919, and in 1922 the Gersix truck did well and they sold 53 of them in 1922. In 1923 they incorporated and named the company Kenworth after their two last names. Thus Kenworth trucks were born.Kenworth Trucks: The Early YearsThe new Kenworth Trucks did fairly well over the next two years, selling at least two trucks a week. Custom made trucks were their hallmark product. As time went on, the company grew even more profitable with higher production levels. To save on costs, Kenworth decided to start making their trucks in Canada to save duty charges. By 1929 they were so successful that they needed to open a new factory in Seattle, Washington and Harry Kent became the president of the company.Kenworth Trucks: The Depression YearsDuring the Great Depression between 1930 and 1932, the company had its own financial issues, but they tried to stay afloat and did that by starting to make fire trucks in 1932. Their custom fire trucks made all the fire chiefs want one because Kenworth could input the ideas they wanted into the trucks, while other companies either could not or would not do it for them, making innovation their saving factor.Kenworth Trucks: After the DepressionOnce the Depression was finally subsiding, Kenworth started to do better again and was the first trucking company in the U.S. to put diesel engines in their vehicles as standard equipment. This worked well for its customers since at the time diesel was much cheaper than gasoline. Kenworth also made and sold its very first sleeper cab in 1933, and two years later it started making some of its truck parts using aluminum.
As the next couple of years came and went, Kenworth came out with its bubble nose cab over engine truck, and it managed to sell 226 trucks in 1940. Sadly though, Harry Kent died in 1937 and Phil Johnson became company president.Kenworth Trucks: The War YearsDuring the WWII Kenworth did its patriotic duty and produced 430, 4-ton heavyweight trucks, and then another 1,500 more, making it a high producer for the military. They were custom made for the Army and came with cranes, winches, cutting, welding and flood lights. Kenworth also made non-truck items for the war effort such as parts for the B-17 and B-29 airplanes.Kenworth Trucks: The After War YearsIn 1944 the company lost another president with the death of Phil Johnson and was bought by Paul Pigott of the Pacific Car and Foundry (PACCAR) and the following year it made 485 military trucks and 427 civilian commercial trucks, raising that to 705 commercial trucks the next year. The company was then making trucks for Hawaii and by 1950, it was so successful it was able to start distributing its vehicles to 27 locations outside the US, making its foreign profits up to 40 percent of its sales.Kenworth was making 30 different models by this time as well and in 1951 it was rewarded with a huge deal with the Arabian American Oil Company They sold 1,700 trucks and had a huge role in helping to develop the oil reserves in the middle east. By the year 1955 it was producing trucks in British Columbia and formed the Canadian subsidiary: Canadian Kenworth Limited.Kenworth Trucks: The Later 50s and BeyondKenworth officially became the Kenworth Motor Truck Company in 1956 and was producing its newly designed 923 model trucks that had a drop frame, thus making the chassis shorter and lighter. Their innovation continued as always and by the 1976 Bicentennial celebrations Kenworth Trucks came out with their K100 cabover style truck that offered long haul truckers some luxuries in the form of double beds, a closet, a fridge and even a hot plate. However, they didn't sacrifice the trucker's safety or the reliability of the vehicle.In 1979, Kenworth was picked to carry a high resolution spectrometer magnet which was 140 feet long, weighed 107 tons, was 18 and a half feet wide and 13 and a half feet high. It needed to be transported from Illinois to California and Kenworth built one of its custom trailers to do the job. The trip got lots of media coverage, especially when they had to take it up the 8,640 feet tall Laramie Summit while there was 60 mile an hour winds blowing. It was a very dramatic. The trip took 19 days.Kenworth Trucks: The 1980sOnce again Kenworth displayed their innovation, coming out with the T600A truck which combined a traditional slope shaped front with a setback front axle, making it more maneuverable while not sacrificing the driver's comfort. Plus, it had aerodynamic features that saved nearly a quarter on the cost of fuel. Because of the slope hood the trucks earned the moniker "anteater". During the 80s Kenworth also produced the T800 truck that had a setback front axle to make it more maneuverable, but it was also able to carry very heavy loads and was versatile enough to work on or off the highway. That decade also brought the C500B construction series of trucks, as well as the T400A tractor which had even more fuel savings capabilities. By the end of the decade, Kenworth came out with the W900L truck, which had a long nose and extended hood and was extremely popular.Kenworth Trucks: the 1990sKenworth Trucks kept its innovative spirit in the 90s by producing the new T884 truck with two steering axles in the front and was and ideal mixer truck, making it easier to make turns. Plus, it had all wheel drive, making it perfect for off road use in construction areas. Kenworth also got another special transport deal and moved the SR71 Blackbird Spy Plane from the Mojave Dessert to Seattle, Washington, which took a lot of coordination and required specially made vehicles to hold the wings and fuselage sections. The plane was being installed in the Museum of Flight.Kenworth introduced the Kenworth Driver's Board in 1992 to help give its input into future trucks. They went to trade shows, did surveys and drove all over the US. The 90s also brought the invention of the K300 cabover and the company's B series trucks. Kenworth also helped to promote road safety by funding a special program called "Sharing the Road." By this time Kenworth had added production plants in Washington, and Ohio and were adding another new and innovative truck: the t600 Aero Cab. It offered more space for the drivers and their cargo, as well as the OEM Sleeper truck called the Studio Sleeper that had a huge sleeper couch, 30 percent more storage space, two closets, shelves, a table and there was even an option to pay extra to get a TV installed.In 1996, the T2000 truck came out and Kenworth had a premium style 350,000 mile warranty with service only needed every 25,000 miles versus 10 or 15,000 in standard contracts due to better maintenance and upgrades in technology.Kenworth Trucks: the 2000s and beyondIn 2000, Kenworth came out with what they called the T604 Technology Truck, which had every available safety feature from the times from collision avoiding radar to GPS, LED lights, and external cameras to prevent them from hitting anything. By 2007, Kenworth was making trucks called the C540 to be sold in Australia, which was a mining series truck and the next year the company made a commitment to the greening of the world by getting certified by the International Environmental Management Standard certification. The company hit a milestone two years later when the 40,000th Kenworth Truck was built. Since then, Kenworth is continuing its innovative production standards and dedications to excellence as it continues to expand in the trucking industry.

International Trucks - A History of the Famous Internationals

History of International Trucks - Navistar International is a company that manufactures various commercial vehicles and diesel engines. It is also the company that now owns and produces the International Trucks brand of heavy duty trucks, which are known for being some of the best quality trucks in the industry.In the Beginning of International Trucks History - At first, International made farming and agricultural machines and vehicles and the International brand of equipment was well known in the mid-1800s among farmers. Cyrus Hall McCormick made the very first horse drawn reaper in 1847 as the McCormick Havesting Machine Company. By 1902 he and his brother combined this company with some other farming and equipment companies and formed what was called the International Harvester company.International's First Truck - Over the next several years the company continued to make tractors, trucks and other agricultural gear. In 1907 they produced what was called an "auto wagon," which was a motor truck with an air-cooled engine, high wheels and two cylinders, thus giving farmers a truck to use for moving around their gear and supplies. This truck is what first put International into the truck building business.In actuality, the name International wasn't being used by itself until 1914, so these were International Harvester auto wagon vehicles. In fact, they were not even considered motor trucks until 1910 either, but were considered auto buggies. In their first year, the company made 73 of them, which was about seven percent of the entire trucking industry in the U.S. in 1907. The next year in 1908 that pittance skyrocketed to 725, which increased to nearly 2,500 in 1909.International's Trucks joined the transportation industry By 1915, the company began to make even more new truck products, coming out with a low-wheeled vehicle that had more power and more speed than ever before. The following year, one of these little trucks was the first truck to climb Pike's Peak.World War I and the World of TruckingThe Army needed lots of trucks during World War I and this caused the trucking business to double from 92,000 vehicles in 1916 to more than 227,000 in 1918. About 49,000 of these trucks ended up overseas for use during the war. After the war, the leftover trucks were sold off and shipping things by truck began to get more popular.After World War IBy 1921 International Harvester made motor trucks in a plant in Springfield, Ohio, where it produced the first trucks known to have pneumatic tires and could go at a higher speed, making them work well on the newer roads that were becoming more prevalent by the 1920s. These and other trucks International made helped their production grow from only 7,183 trucks in 1920 to more than 39,000 in 1928 and more than 10,000 more the following year.During the 1920s International was the brand of truck that first crossed the Sahara Desert when a British soldier, hunter and explorer named Sir Charles Markham, and Baron Bror Frederick von Blixen-Finecke used an International in that endeavor.In 1923 International Trucks opened another plant up in Fort Wayne, Ind. and in 1925 the company had the first armored truck when it built them special to protect payrolls for the Brinks Express Company.International Trucks: Built from the ground up International trucks were different, as they were built from the ground up to adapt them to the job, which was unlike most trucks in the era that were mass produced. The engineers who built them would go to find out the exact use for the truck and then built it accordingly. In 1938 they made the first trucks with a Metro body through a contract with Metropolitan Body Company in Connecticut, and by 1939 International was making engines for trucks at yet another plant in Indianapolis, Indiana.During the 1930s and 40s, International produced their C, D and K line of trucks. These were sizes from a high ton pickup style of truck, up to huge six-wheeled trucks that were heavy weight and could perform off road. By then, the company was producing more than 86,000 trucks a year.International Trucks Role in World War II - World War II brought a request by the federal government for International to build all wheel drive trucks for the military. So, between 1941 and 1943, the only trucks International made were military trucks. These included trucks such as half-tracks, armored, gun mounted trucks and more.In 1944, the company formed their motor truck division to take care of the ever increasing amount of truck products and activities it was starting to handle and by 1947 International trucks was back into making trucks for the civilian market and had made several new innovative changes in the trucking world.After the WarBy 1946 International had opened a new plant in Emeryville, Calif. It made special made heavy weight trucks called a Western type of truck. They had the capacity to haul as much as 90,000 pounds over rugged mountainous terrain. They were very popular at the time. As before, these were specialized, not mass-produced and each model had a specific job to do.International Trucks was famous for putting its trucks through tough tests to be sure that they could perform in rough areas and in harsh conditions and it continues to test its trucks for high performance today.Trucks continued to get more popular and the call for even more and faster vehicles and International met the demand when it made a record 165,600 trucks in 1948 and even more the following year when its L model came out.This L model was a total redesign for International and it spent a whopping $30 million to revamp the plants to produce it in Fort Wayne, Springfield and Indianapolis. The L trucks were four wheelers that ranged in gross vehicle weight from 4,200 to 30,000 pounds, as well as six wheelers weighing up to 50,000 pounds gross vehicle weight, and cab-forward trucks that could handle more than 14,000 pounds. It had one of the most totally complete lines of trucks in the world at this time.In 1952, International again rocked the trucking industry with the development of factory-installed liquefied-petroleum-gas-powered engines or LPG. These engines gave truckers more efficiency and at a lower cost.Over the next few years other improvements were made and diesel also became popular in engines. Trucks also continued to get more powerful and International put out their S line of lighter, as well as both medium and heavy weight trucks.Throughout the 50s International added things like automatic transmission, power brakes, and power steering to the trucks it produced. By the end of the decade International was listed as having 498 different kinds of trucks. That year the company made a record $749 million in sales and broke that record in 1960 with $766 million in sales. This meant International had an incredible 45 percent of the trucking market.Passenger trucks appearedThe 1960s brought a three person passenger truck to International called the Scout. It had a removable top, a pickup body, and an International Harvester engine with two or four wheel drive available.A new name-Navistar International CorporationDuring the 1980s International had issues with money, strikes and other problems and sold off everything except its trucking and engine division, which was renamed Navistar International Corporation, which is it called today. The new company had the first hybrid diesel/electric truck in 2007 and now had dealers all over the world.Navistar is also one of the main suppliers of U.S. MRAP armored vehicles, as well as the maker of the biggest truck that can be bought in today's market-a giant tractor trailer weighing more than 127,000 pounds. They also make the MaxxForce brand of diesel engines, as well the Workhorse brand of chassis for vans and motor homes and the IC Bus brand school buses and commercial buses.Navistar earns nearly 10 billion dollars a year in revenue and has dealers in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Brazil and several other outlets in 90 countries.

Mack Trucks - Built Like a Mack Truck

Mack Trucks, An American IconMack Trucks, Inc. is a truck manufacturer in America with its headquarters in Greensboro, N.C, but the manufacturing plant is located in Lower Macungie Township, Pennsylvania, with two others located in Middletown, PA. and in Dublin, VA. truck parts for vehicles that have a right-hand drive for overseas are made in Brisbane, Queensland in Australia and made ready for worldwide distributing for sale.History of the Mack Trucks CompanyMack Trucks started in 1890 when John M. Mack started working at a company that made wagons and carriages in Brooklyn, New York called Fallesen & Berry. Two years later his brother, Augustus, bought the company and a year later the third brother, William, joined in with them. In 1902 was renamed the Mack Brothers Company and they began making buses. Only seven years later a new one and a half ton truck was introduced by the company. By 1910 two more Mack brothers, Joseph and Charles, had joined the company and it was making locomotives and rail cars, as well as buses and trucks. The following year, they merged with the Saurer Motor Truck Company to form the International Motor Truck Company (IMTC). In 1916 they made the new Mack AC trucks, and shortly afterwards, more than 40,000 of these models were sold. Over the next few years, this innovative company was the first to put air cleaners, oil filters, power brakes, and drive shafts into their trucks. By 1922 the name changed back to Mack Trucks, Inc and they had adopted the corporate symbol now associated with Macks, the beloved bulldog.The Mack Trucks BulldogThe first bulldog hood ornament was carved by Alfred Fellows Masury, the companys' chief engineer ten years later and it has been an adornment for the trucks made by them ever since. The truck manufacturer got this iconic nickname in 1917 during World War I. The British soldiers called it the Bulldog Mack due to the fact that the truck was said to have the stubbornness of a bulldog and it reminded them of their country's own bulldog mascot. Over the next few decades, Mack Trucks continued to prosper and make trucks and vehicles for the military (delivering more than 6,000 trucks in World War I and more than 35,000 trucks in World War II), as well as being famous for helping build the Hoover Dam in the 1950s, and for producing many types of heavy duty trucks. Between the 50s and the 60s, Mack Trucks introduced several models of heavy duty trucks and sold hundreds of thousands of them, including Models A, B, D, F and G. Mack Trucks continued its innovative production by patenting the cab air suspension system in 1969. Since then, they have continued to make new and more innovative models of trucks and other vehicles for the construction, military and transportation industries.Over the Road Mack TrucksDuring the 60s the truck manufacturer made their R and U models, which were meant for running on the highways, as well as their RD and DM models, which were used by the construction industry. By 2005, the RD, RB and DM models were discontinued and were replaced by the Granite model, which is also used in the Mexican Army for usage as a Troop and Utility truck using a slightly different configuration. The 60s also saw the creation of the Maxidyne truck series in 1968, which was considered an industry changing event. This was due to the fact that the Maxidyne made it possible for heavy duty trucks to run with only a five speed transmission called a Maxitorque, when before this time these type of trucks needed 10 gears at least to operate. In 1990, Mack Trucks was a subsidiary of Renault Vehicules Industriels (known as Renault trucks in 2002), and they joined in with Volvo AB of Sweden in 2001. The company had a record sales year in 2006 and moved to North Carolina in 2008.These days Macks are a very well known brand of off road trucks and other vehicles in the class range of Classes 8-13. Mack Trucks are sold in more than 45 different countries worldwide and are considered the most popular maker of heavy duty trucks on the road today. When you hear the phrase, "build like a Mack Truck," it stands for durability and strength. The company has held itself to high standards its entire existence and continues to do so today as they have in their more than 100 years of service to their customers.Visitors can watch Trucks being "born"The Mack Truck Company allows visitors to their manufacturing plants in Dublin, VA and in Lower Macungie Township, PA. to see for themselves how they build and design the famous Mack powertrains, engines, transmissions, axles and other parts as it gets built on their assembly lines. It can be a fascinating experience to actually watch a Mack truck being put together piece by piece for you to see. There is also a remanufacturing plant in Middletown, Penn. where used Mack parts are refurbished and made ready for resale and usage. The bottom line is that Mack Trucks are as popular as ever and are a well known and beloved brand of heavy duty trucks and vehicles that continue to ride the highways and byways and service industry all over the world.

Used Trucks Demand and Supply Has Increased Highly Due to Recession

Recession is the financial state which not only put brakes on the financial growth but also breaks the backbones of the people and entire economy by minimizing the money rotation in the markets. The automotive industry is the worst hot of this Recession that has affected after so many years. There are many of the impacts of Recession seen on the people. One of the most highlighted and commonly seen impacts is lowering the purchasing power. The purchasing power of the automotive buyers is weakened quite tremendously and so is in the truck buyers. The increasing demands and sale of used trucks is the prime proof of explaining these terms. There are several more of the reasons that have enhanced the used trucks for sale business. Here are some of them revealed.* Used trucks are economicalThe economical impact of used trucks is quite aggressive. The used Vehicle are offered at quite reasonable prices and also are offering quite similar services that any of the new trucks are offering. The Vehicle transporters are benefited mainly by this feature and factor as with lower investment, the truck owners can earn more of the revenue. There are many of the truck models which can become quite useful to the truck owners. The used Pickup trucks, used semi trucks, used big lifted trucks are some of the examples that are offered at quite cheaper and almost half of the prices of new trucks. Thus, used trucks are the most economical deals.* Used trucks are having lower depreciationThe depreciation ratio of used Vehicle is quite lower. The new Vehicle are having highest depreciation ratio so the truck owner gets more loss of money in case of resale the new trucks. Used trucks can be the most beneficial deals in case of resale for the buyer. There are many of the used truck models available that are qualitative in approach and the owner can use them for longer periods, earn huge revenue from them and can earn good amount of money at the time of resale.* Used trucks are "Recession suitable buying"Recession has lowered down the incomes and has raised the prices of the commodities. The inflation rate is steeping higher and higher. Therefore people have to save money at any cost for the future as the uncertainty of future is lingering on everyone's heads. All of these factors are leading the way to buy used trucks. Used trucks are the most spectacular and splendid buying opportunities for the truck buyers as they save huge amount of money that can be saved or even can be used for any of the other buying.Thus, these are some of the demand pulling effect of used trucks. Now, here are some of the factors that are making huge impact on the supply of used trucks. The supply of used trucks is being enhanced because of many reasons. Here are they.* Urgent needs of moneyThe owners and transporters may resale the Vehicle due to urgent needs of money. The Recession has stopped the money rotation and also has forced the people to pull out money from any of the source. Reselling the vehicles have become the first priorities of the truck owners to create more money for living.* Increasing prices of fuelThe fuel hike is also one of the most important factors of selling the vehicles by already users. There are many of the truck transporters who are nit in the state of affording the expenses after the trucks and therefore sale them at whatever prices. The used trucks and cheap used trucks are therefore widely available in the trucks for sale business.* The incomes from "extra"There are many of the truck operators and owners who are having extra trucks which have become burden for them after increase in fuel prices and also increase in the repairing expenses of trucks. These truck owners are making use of these "extra" trucks to create revenue from them. The sale of these used trucks creates more of the money for them to divert for useful purposes.These are the reasons that have enhanced the supply of used trucks in the market. All of these reasons have aroused only after Recession. So, it can be said that Recession is the leading source of increasing demands and supply of used trucks.

Recovering From a Truck Accident

There are approximately 251 million registered vehicles in the United States alone and in 2004 there were 198.8 million registered drivers with an estimated 6.6 million driver's licenses likely to be issued in 2007-2008, according to information obtained from programs under the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) and the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV).In 2005, there were nearly 6.4 million auto accidents resulting in approximately 40,000 fatalities, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). In 2007, the USDOT reported that:* There were 236,468 non-fatal large truck accidents.
* 54,961 injury-related large truck accidents.
* 80,752 injuries due to large truck accidents.Large truck accidents account for a significant portion of vehicle accidents every year and also account for a portion of crash-related injuries and fatalities among drivers, passengers and pedestrians.According to research conducted by the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute (UMTRI), fatalities caused by truck accidents are rising and have steadily risen 5.8 percent over a the previous ten-year period. Causes of Truck Accidents There are a plethora of reasons that an individual can become involved in a truck accident, but there are a list of common, reoccurring truck accident scenarios that have been identified by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), which conducts research on highway collisions involving an array of motor vehicles.The following are some of the primary causes for a fatality or injury because of a truck crash:* Trucks hitting pedestrians.
* The force of the collision between a large truck and a smaller passenger vehicle/vehicles.
* Trucks hitting fixed objects.
* Loss of control (tire blow out, vehicle failure, weather conditions, etc.).
* Animal in roadway.
* Physical driver factor, including falling asleep, heart attack, etc.Another study conducted by the FMCSA also found that truck accidents will vary based on roadway type, weight of vehicle and cargo body type. The study found that of the three main categories of roadway types (rural, urban and unknown), urban roadways (interstate, freeways, expressways, etc.) accounted for 63 percent of all large truck accidents. Additionally, weight factored into the equation of truck accidents and truck fatalities/injuries.The study measured truck weight by single unit trucks (two axles, threes axles, etc.) and combination trucks (tractor trucks, truck pulling trailers, etc.). Of these, 62 percent of accidents were made up by combination trucks, specifically the tractor truck pulling a trailer.Additionally, the study reported an array of truck varieties that had been in an accident:* Van trucks, including closed van, refrigerated van and open top van.
* Dump trucks (rear dump trucks and bottom dump/hopper bottom).
* Tankers (tank-liquid, tank-dry bulk and tank-compressed gas).
* Garbage refuse trucks.
* Cement mixers.
* Pole/logging trucks.
* Auto carriers.
* Livestock carriers.
* Bobtail units (with no cargo body).
* Other category, which includes tow trucks, etc.
* Unknown category (meaning un-inspected vehicles).Of these trucks, the van trucks accounted for 46 percent of large truck crashes with dump trucks accounting for 16 percent of accidents and flatbed trucks accounting for 15 percent.Truck Accident Costs While the percentage of truck accidents varies each year, the UMTRI has noted that there is a steady increase of truck accident fatalities and injuries among passengers.Accompanying this increase is the rising costs per crash. Research determining the average price for medium as well as heavy truck accidents was conducted by the Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation, which was paid for by USDOT.The study found that: An average truck accident cost $91,112 in 2005.* Crashes involving truck-tractors with two or three trailers accounted for the most costly crashes averaging $289,549 per crash.
* Truck crashes involving trucks with no trailers and straight trucks cost an average of $56,296 per crash.
* Reports have suggested that it will cost more than $3.6 million per crash for truck accidents involving a fatality.
* Whereas, truck crashes involving injury-only crashes averaged at $195,258 per crash.While the costs of fatal and non-fatal accidents have been considered shockingly high by some, the study noted that these cost estimates excluded additional factors such as:* mental health costs.
* roadside furniture repair costs.
* cargo delays.
* it is estimated that even those who are involved in or caring for a victim that was in a truck accident will have lost earnings.
* the value of schoolwork lost was also not factored.Because of these exclusions, the estimated truck accident costs may even be considerable higher than estimated by the USDOT.Seeking Assistance after a Truck AccidentIt is often difficult for an individual to gauge the devastation that has just occurred after a truck collision. It is important that an individual who has suffered from a truck accident seeks medical attention immediately.While an individual may feel no pain after an accident, their injuries may be internal and an examination by a medical professional immediately following an accident can ensure that the appropriate safety precautions are taken.Additionally, it may be necessary for a truck accident victim to consult an experienced truck accident attorney for legal purposes, which may include a legal consultation for a potential truck accident lawsuit.Developing a truck accident lawsuit may seem to be a drastic measure by some, but when considering the costs associated with a truck accident, whether fatal or non-fatal, it can be deemed a necessary step, one that may provide monetary compensation in return for damages following a truck collision.