Equipment

Kevin Rutherford Signature Series trailer unveiled by Con-way Manufacturing & SmartTruck

Aug. 23, 2013

DALLAS. The industry got a first-hand look at the new Kevin Rutherford Signature Series Trailer here in Dallas today at the Great American Truck Show. Produced by Con-way Manufacturing (formerly Road Systems, Inc.), a subsidiary of Con-way, Inc., the new trailer features advanced options, including the UT6Plus UnderTray System by SmartTruck, designed to reduce aerodynamic drag and improve fuel economy.

Wendy Leavitt

In addition to the SmartTruck UnderTray System, the new trailer also has a Meritor suspension with disc brakes and MicroBlue bearings. It is fitted with a Fusion Floor by HAVCO and Michelin X One XTA single-wide tires. Together these features reduce the weight of a standard trailer by 400 pounds, contributing to fuel efficiency and significantly exceeding the EPA’s requirements for SmartWay certification, according to Con-way.

“We are thrilled to collaborate with Con-way and Kevin on this project, as SmartTruck’s UT6Plus System is the perfect fit for this premium trailer,” said Mitch Greenberg, chief commercial officer at SmartTruck. “Owner-operators will really benefit from the combination of 10 percent highway fuel savings and the rugged design that will allow the UnderTray System to last as long as the trailer does.

"The UT6Plus under-tray works the opposite of a side skirt, Greenberg told Fleet Owner. “It moves air underneath the trailer and to the back of the trailer. The rear diffuser helps to pull air to the back. The whole point of this design strategy is to take as much air as possible from around the trailer. [Once we got started,] the entire trailer project took us about eight months from start to finish.”

An industry veteran, Kevin Rutherford is considered an expert on growing a successful owner-operator business, Con-way noted. The new Signature Series Trailer joins the Kevin Rutherford Signature Series Tractor, which was introduced to the marketplace in 2009.

“When designing this new trailer, I selected Con-way Manufacturing and SmartTruck because of their reputation in the industry and the ease of collaboration to transform a vision into a reality,” said Rutherford. “The collection of these features all in one trailer makes it an ideal product for owner-operators because it brings all components together to help drivers achieve greater fuel efficiency and save money.”

Buyers can source the trailer directly from the factory. The list price, according to Greenberg, is about $33,500 without FET and the company has a financing program.

About the Author

Wendy Leavitt

Wendy Leavitt joined Fleet Owner in 1998 after serving as editor-in-chief of Trucking Technology magazine for four years.

She began her career in the trucking industry at Kenworth Truck Company in Kirkland, WA where she spent 16 years—the first five years as safety and compliance manager in the engineering department and more than a decade as the company’s manager of advertising and public relations. She has also worked as a book editor, guided authors through the self-publishing process and operated her own marketing and public relations business.

Wendy has a Masters Degree in English and Art History from Western Washington University, where, as a graduate student, she also taught writing.