Medium-Duty Kenworth Trucks Serve Canadian News Outlet
The Canadian Broadcasting Corp. is using three Kenworth Truck Co. K-Series medium-duty cabovers as mobile production trucks.
A Kenworth K370 Class 7 cabover with a 17-foot body on a 182-inch wheelbase is a mini-studio with three technicians running the boards for TV broadcasting. It’s the go-to vehicle for live remotes in French and English, according to the truck maker, a brand of Paccar Inc.
Two Kenworth K270 Class 6 cabovers, with 142-inch wheelbases and 14-foot bodies, are also used and typically cover smaller, Montreal-area news stories. These trucks feature low-profile, 19.5-inch tires to reduce overall vehicle height.
The CBC’s Kenworth K270 and K370 cabovers are powered by the Paccar PX-7 engine rated at 250 hp, and are equipped with Allison 5-speed automatic transmissions.
The truck features a hydraulic assist cab tilt of 55 degrees to provide easy access to the engine, transmission, air filter and power steering reservoir.
Also, there is a front access panel for daily maintenance to fill engine oil, coolant and washer fluid.
“The CBC broadcasts in English and in French throughout Canada, so we need to carry double the camera equipment to accommodate interviews while capturing the news,” Mario Gionet, who serves as corporate fleet service manager, said in a statement. “When we decided to upgrade our fleet in the Montreal area, we needed trucks that could turn on a dime, and yet could be small in stature while carrying a lot of weight. Our gear is not light.”
For instance, the Kenworth K370 made its way to Florida to cover Hurricane Irma, which struck Florida Sept. 9. Florida is the destination of many Canadians seeking to escape winter weather, some of whom are homeowners in the state.
“CBC covers world news, and the United States is a big part of that,” said Gionet. “Most of the time, the trucks stay in our area, but for national sporting events and other big news, we will send them out for long-distance coverage — the U.S. elections for example.”
Mileage on the trucks can vary from 13,000 to 25,000 kilometers — 8,077 to 15,534 miles — per year.
CBC does not have its own maintenance shop, so the company relies on Kenworth Montreal for its maintenance and minor repair program. But, with a caveat: the Kenworth cabovers can be called upon at any time, so trucks need to get in and out of the shop very quickly to cover the news.
