Volvo Trucks unveiled last week the official 2015-2016 America’s Road Team truck and trailer, a Volvo VNL 780 that the 19 new team captains will use at events to promote trucking’s image and teach the public about the industry.
Volvo Trucks’ VP of Marketing Magnus Koeck handed the keys over to American Trucking Associations’ Vice Chairman Pat Thomas at a special dedication ceremony held at Volvo’s New River Valley plant in Dublin, Va.
“The Road Team Captains truly are the face of the industry,” Thomas said. “They’re going to do great things for trucking. Most folks don’t know a lot about trucking — the challenges we face with infrastructure and regulatory hurdles. These drivers and this truck will help the public and public officials understand the industry a little better.”
In addition to the special star-spangled graphics on the truck and trailer, the VNL 780 employs Volvo’s integrated powertrain — centered around Volvo’s iShift automated-manual transmission — along with Bendix Wingman system. Wingman’s features include adaptive cruise control, rollover stability and active braking.
The trailer behind the truck is a walk-in with seven televisions and a truck driving simulator.
