LITTLE ROCK, Ark., September 14, 2007 The new aerodynamic Kenworth T660 offers something Jones Heavy Hauling can™t get from its other trucks superior fuel economy coupled with higher payload capacity.
Jones Heavy Hauling, which has been in business for more than 40 years, changed its focus from regional to nationwide hauling when current owners Chuck Fowler, Larry Ezell and Jack Engkeles purchased the company in 1999. Fowler said the professionalism of the sales and service staff at MHC Kenworth – Little Rock, coupled with the reliability and durability of Kenworth trucks, convinced him and his partners to operate Kenworth trucks. According to Fowler, hauling loads across country makes fuel economy a big consideration in choosing which Kenworth truck models to operate.
A lot of guys involved in heavy hauling have asked me why our company chose an aerodynamic model, said Jason Cook, driver of the first T660 for Little Rock, Ark.-based Jones Heavy Hauling. I tell them just take a look at the mileage I™m getting with this new Kenworth T660 and you™ll know why.
With less than 50,000 miles on its 2007 525-hp engine, Fowler says Cook™s T660 already gets 1 mpg more than the fleet™s average using other trucks. At that rate, the Kenworth T660 will save Jones Heavy Hauling about $9,000 per year. In addition, Fowler says running the T660 enables Cook to haul 700 more pounds of freight on each trip.
Fowler said he was convinced that the Kenworth T660 would be an excellent choice for his company™s fleet after a close look during last year™s T660 national road tour stop at MHC Kenworth – Little Rock. In addition to the fuel economy, we like the T660™s quiet ride and ease of getting in and out of the cab which make a pleasant working environment for drivers. The Kenworth T660 also certainly delivers on comfort with a cab and sleeper that is well designed to keep the road noise down. All those factors will help us retain our best drivers.
Fowler said he originally learned about the Kenworth T660 from Cook when it came time for the company to buy a new truck for him. Cook recommended the Kenworth T660. Years ago I drove the Kenworth T600 at another company and I loved it, Cook said. When I found out that Kenworth was planning to replace that model with a new generation truck, I just knew we had to get it.
Cook™s T660 is equipped with an 86-inch Studio AeroCab® Diamond VIT sleeper and Kenworth AG380 air ride suspension. Fowler said he intends to purchase more Kenworth T660s as other trucks in his fleet come due for replacement.
Jones Heavy Hauling transports 165-foot structural steel beams on specialized trailers from manufacturing facilities in central Arkansas to construction sites and contractors in 48 states. About half of the payload hauled by the company™s 24 drivers is destined for highway construction projects, including bridges. The other half goes to building projects such as casinos in Las Vegas and a major automobile plant in Greensburg, Ind. The company also hauled many of the support beams for the William J. Clinton Presidential Library & Museum in Little Rock during its construction.
Kenworth Truck Company, a division of PACCAR Inc, is a leading manufacturer of heavy and medium duty trucks. Kenworth is the recipient of the 2007 J.D. Power and Associates awards for Highest in Customer Satisfaction for Over The Road, Pickup and Delivery and Vocational Segment Class 8 trucks. Kenworth™s Internet home page is at www.kenworth.com. Kenworth. The World™s Best.
