If you work long enough at a truck maker, there’s a good chance you will meet some interesting people with interesting stories about change.
I was fortunate to work with people who had first-hand knowledge of the creation of the Kenworth T600 aerodynamic tractor model line. Today newcomers to our industry see some extremely mature aerodynamic tractors from all manufacturers including even Mack and Western Star. That was not always the case.
In the 1970s a group of visionaries at Kenworth developed the T600, a radically different semi focused on impressive fuel economy in a world dominated by blunt trauma cab overs and long-and tall monsters dipped in chrome.
The ‘70s were the times of the Arab Oil Embargo, the implementation of the double-nickel (55) mph national speed limit, the end of the Vietnam war, Nixon, Ford and Carter, and the rapid growth of imported cars from upstart Japanese automakers like Datsun, Toyota, and Honda, enforced seat belt rules, the start of ABS requirements, pass-by noise reduction, and the start of airbag crash safety systems.
According to a 2008 U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) report, diesel in 1978 was a remarkably low $0.36/gallon, but clearly heading up hitting a national average of $0.97/gal in 1981 — a 170% increase. That period, according to an Argonne National Laboratory report, also saw massive increases in the use of commercial transportation, with vehicle miles traveled (VMT) for Class 3-8 trucks ultimately tripling between 1977 and 2002, with combination trucks in on-highway use seeing a whopping 5.6 times increase.
1978 was what might be called an inflection point in trucking demand for fuel, better fuel economy, operating cost reduction and incessant growth in cargo weight. That inflection point was visible for those with the foresight to see it. A group at Kenworth had that foresight.
Times were changing. Loads shifted from gasoline-fueled straight trucks to diesel-powered combination trucks. Loads shifted from railroads to highways. Demand for fuel-efficient trucks was taking off. The market was changing. Kenworth wanted a truck that could capitalize on what it felt was the future.
Truck aerodynamics is a cyclical focus area. The trucking industry seems to have a love-hate relationship with the concept of sleeker vehicles. Fleet owners always want lower costs, but part of that equation includes the residual value of vehicles, and for a long time, what maintained residual value was, what a former manager of mine described as, testosterone. The masculine image of shiny, tall side pipes, large air cleaners, polished large grilles on the front of long nose hoods, big engines, chrome sunvisors, chrome headlamps, visible rivets and more. Long-and-tall semis typically posted better residual value at trade in times by thousands of dollars per truck.
Aerodynamic trucks were perceived as cheap, disposable commodities that quickly lost value.
Kenworth’s visionaries faced an uphill battle to bring the T600 into the marketplace, with its small, dropped nose hood that earned it the nickname aardvark. Under that hood were smaller horsepower engines requiring a smaller cooling module tailored specifically for on-highway duty cycles making it perhaps one of the first on-highway purpose-built trucks in the industry. The T600 also launched during a trucking industry recession. Inflation rates peaked at 22% in 1980. PACCAR’s Peterbilt and Kenworth went through significant layoffs in 1982.
Amid all this turmoil and change, Kenworth developed the T600 and launched it in 1985. The project originated out of the Kenworth Renton, WA lab, a great starting point for a number of industry-changing vehicles. The developers were able to capitalize on PACCAR’s new Technical Center test track and testing facilities north of Seattle.
The new regulations coming out of the 1982 Surface Transportation Assistance Act saw fuel tax increases at the federal and state levels. Changes in size and weight regulations allowed cab overs to be replaced by conventional trucks with hoods — a market preference. Cab overs were an estimated 50% of the market in 1982, but were less than 6% by 1995.
The T600, developed by that handful of visionaries, hit the market at just the right time to overcome market bias. The vehicle was cost effective, fuel efficient, light weight, and reliable. Even staunch long-and-tall advocates had trouble arguing with the improved bottom line that the T600 provided.
The T600 model line went on in multiple iterations and badging to have a life span of more than 30 years. When production finally ended, there were a lot of converts to aerodynamic trucks.
Change requires vision and commitment. The small team that brought the T600 into existence demonstrated both. A lot of that development was completed in secret, often unappreciated, and often on a shoe-string budget. The T600 shows what a small, determined team can do with new technology to completely alter the trucking industry.
Good luck to those on secret, underfunded, underappreciated projects at all the OEMs today. Take heart that change is possible. Kenworth proved it with the T600.
