TransWay Adds Next Generation Freightliner to Fleet
TransWay Inc., a trucking company based in Holland, Mich., added the "next generation, super semi-truck" to its fleet May 8.
It's a journey that began in 2014 when Transway president Thomas Van Wyk, his business partner, and company fleet manager Randy McGregor visited the Mid-America Trucking Show in Louisville, Ky.
At the show, Freightliner was debuting what the OEM described as its "super truck of the future." When Van Wyk saw it, he knew his company needed to get one.
The last week in April, that truck was delivered to the Holland trucking company and following various programming and training programs, the truck was scheduled to be on the road May 8.
"You have to look at all efficiencies in the truck, on the fuel side, and then along with that, as you progress, you look at safety items and driver comfort," McGregor said. "You have to put it all together to get the total package that works. You can't just have one thing and ignore everything else."
The truck, a 2018 Freightliner New Cascadia, is the first customer delivery of the 2018 pre-series generation of Cascadia sleeper in the state of Michigan and introduced new technology never seen in one truck.
It starts with the design. According to McGregor, the entire truck is aerodynamic. From the front design of the truck, to the sides and back, the whole purpose is to redirect airflow around and over the truck, rather than under it. This helps save fuel and lower emissions.
Other changes have been made to the engine, including updates to the water pump, axles with high-efficacy bearings and more efficient lubrication management systems.
"It is amazing all of the complete revamps they have done from front to back in this equipment," Van Wyk said. "It is mind boggling when you sit down and evaluate it."
The truck also features things such as predictive cruise control, which is when the truck's computer looks at the terrain in front of the truck and automatically figures out how much power will be needed to get over an upcoming hill and will automatically adjust the truck's power as it goes down a hill.
"It will coast down the downhill until you get to the flat and it needs power to move the truck and will go back in gear and you continue on your way," McGregor said. "It does this all by GPS. It's very high tech."
The truck can also be programmed to maintain a set distance between vehicles in front of the truck, has radar in the front and sides to monitor what is around the truck at all times and offers warnings when a driver is beginning to cross a line on the road or has a turn signal on when a car is in that space.
The sleeper model is also at the forefront of comfort for a driver. The cab features a mini refrigerator, an updated mattress, microwave, a flat-screen television and a closet for clothes storage.
Van Wyk said that in the past, it was not uncommon for a truck to get under four miles a gallon. This new model could possibly get 10 miles a gallon.
"Driving this truck is more like driving a car," McGregor said. "It's very quiet, it's very smooth, everything has been redesigned inside so it is within reach of the driver and more controls have been moved to the steering wheel so the driver can keep their eyes on the road."
Going forward, Transway hopes to be able to incorporate more of these trucks into its fleet but for now, they are enjoying their new toy.
"Freightliner has spared no expense in the design and development of this equipment and we are really honored to be one of the first guys on the block to get one of these," Van Wyk said.
