International debuted a new severe service low cab-forward work truck Wednesday in Louisville, Ky.
Jim Hebe, vice president of North American Sales for International, said the new truck shows the company is laser-focused on the vocational truck market, regardless of size. “The industries this truck is designed for are fairly small in terms of volume” he said. “Generally, you’re talking 6,000 to 8,000 units a year.”
Hebe said the LoadStar is all-new from the ground up, even though it uses many shared components from existing International vehicles, most notably the WorkStar. But, Hebe said, drivers and fleet managers were heavily involved in the design process to meet a variety of needs in markets such as waste hauling, concrete-pumping and aircraft refueling.
Key features include a stainless steel cab to minimize corrosion and increase durability in the field, vocationally designed variable-depth frame rails for reduced weight and frame rail heights as well as an improved ride, an ergonomically designed cab interior with optimized and body-builder-integrated control placements and powertrain options, including MaxxForce Cleanburn emissions technology or a natural gas version available early next year.
“To fit driver needs, we optimized the space in the cab, increased seat and steering wheel movement and adjusted joystick placement to deliver an outstanding ergonomic and customizable work environment,” Hebe said. “And the exterior boasts the signature appearance and design of the International Truck brand.”
In other news, Hebe announced the new OnCommand Connection telematic vehicle support system from International – a program that provides vehicle operators with vital operating information on the road.
“Celedon is testing this system now,” Hebe said. “And we expect a full launch later this year. The system can offer users a host of innovative information options – everything from critical parts, repair and service information when a fault code appears during vehicle operation, all the way down to formulation of CSA scorecards for drivers or real-time route planning and GPS navigation.”