Kenworth Ride & Drive Event

A doe and two fawns stepped out of the woods to watch the action on the test track. The rural setting and the wildlife are a job plus according to many employees at the PACCAR Technical Center about and hour and a half drive from Seattle.

The Kenworth T680 with its 76-inch integral sleeper was one of the "stars" of the Ride & Drive event held at the PACCAR Technical Center in Mt. Vernon, WA on July 19.

Wes Carper, came to work in the Data Systems Group at the Technical Center five years ago after retiring from the U.S. Navy. For the Ride & Drive, he was in charge of the T370, diesel-electric hybrid (the green truck with a flatbed trailer show in other photos).

Members of the press had the opportunity to drive or ride along in eight trucks, including three operating on compressed natural gas (CNG), two with liquid natural gas (LNG) onboard, two powered by diesel and one hybrid diesel-electric truck.

This Kenworth T440 with an extended day cab has a Cummins Westport ISL G 320/1000 engine driven through an Allison 3000 HS 6-speed transmission.

Corey Frasier was the 38th person to be hired at the PACCAR Technical Center. He joined the company in 1985 as a diesel mechanic. Now he is transitioning to a new position as director of training at the Center. According to Frasier, one of the tasks he sees as most important is keeping everyone up-to-date on the constant changes in technology. "It is important for people to see the big picture as well as their own specialty," he noted. It is a project he is looking forward to taking on. For the Ride & Drive, he was in charge of one of the CNG-powered Kenworth T440s.

The Kenworth T680 matched the blue sky on a perfect day for driving at the Technical Center. The diesel-powered tractor features a PACCAR MX engine driven through an Eaton 10-speed transmission. It has disc brakes.