The American Truck Dealers (ATD) announced the nominees for a national award that recognizes the top truck entries in the heavy- and medium-duty categories.
Nine trucks were nominated for the 2012 ATD Commercial Truck of the Year.
Heavy-duty (Class 8) truck entries are the Freightliner 114SD conventional dump truck, International ProStar+ tractor with MaxxForce 15 engine, Kenworth T660 Regional Hauler with Paccar MX engine, and Peterbilt 587 SmartWay conventional tractor.
Medium-duty (Class 3-7) truck entries are the Fuso Canter FE160 low cab forward, Isuzu NPR-HD Gas, Kenworth T440 conventional, Peterbilt Model 210 low cab forward, and UD 2600 low cab forward.
The annual award, which recognizes a winner in both the heavy- and medium-duty truck categories, will be presented at the 2012 ATD Convention and Expo, which is being held for the first time in conjunction with the National Automobile Dealers Association’s annual convention February 3-6, 2012, in Las Vegas NV.
Four journalists on the judging panel test drove the trucks on an eight-mile course that included rural and highway driving in Dallas TX recently.
Key judging factors include the trucks’ overall appearance, cab comfort, noise levels, roominess, ease of getting in and out of the truck, and convenience of maintenance.