Kenworth T880 Turning Heads, Lowering Fuel Bills for K Redden Trucking

"Other drivers are envious."

That's the word from Keith Redden, owner of K Redden Trucking in Floyds Knobs, Ind., when talking about the new Kenworth T880. Redden runs 27 trucks, most equipped with 20-yard dumps hauling aggregate and asphalt. His company was one of the first fleets to take early delivery of the new Kenworth vocational model this year.

K Redden Trucking's first Kenworth T880

Redden also has a second T880 on order, with delivery expected soon. The T880 dump in operation is powered by the PACCAR MX-13 engine rated at 455-hp, and driven through a 10-speed transmission.

PACCAR MX-13 Engine

"When our Kenworth dealer (Peterson Kenworth in Louisville) showed us pictures of the truck and described all that was new, we wanted to get our hands on one as soon as possible," said Redden, who operates T800s for road work, "That led us to the early unit that we put into service six months ago. We have 30,000 miles under the hood and the truck is working great. One of our senior drivers is piloting the truck and he is the envy of the company."

According to Redden, the Kenworth T880 is getting a little rock star treatment. "Drivers from other companies, and contractors, are always coming up to the truck, wanting to inspect the new model, inside and out," he said. "It's certainly a draw - they're as intrigued with the new T880 as we were. We can't say enough good things about the truck. Since I've driven it as well, I can tell you it's very comfortable and easy to drive. And boy is it quiet. Inside and out, we're impressed."

The T880 features a panoramic windshield for enhanced visibility, quiet cab with triple-sealed and robust doors, 5-piece Metton^® hood for easier and faster repairs, air-assisted hydraulic clutch, complex reflector headlamps, and excellent maneuverability.

Redden also operates Kenworth T800s - most powered by PACCAR MX engines. "You wouldn't think construction guys can get good fuel mileage - with all the stop-and-go and heavy loads - but we are," he said. "Out of our 27 trucks, 19 have the PACCAR MX engine and we're getting almost a mile per gallon better with those engines - between 6.8 and 7.2 mpg. We drive about 50,000 miles per year with the dumps, so that means about a $5,000 annual savings per truck. The new T880 is coming in with comparable numbers as our T800s, but we expect the fuel economy to improve a bit more once the truck is fully broken in."

Redden's fleet also includes two Kenworth T680 76-inch sleepers with the PACCAR MX engine in a long-haul, flatbed operation that haul steel coils between the greater Louisville area and Savannah, Ga. Redden said those mpg numbers are even better. "That's long haul and a 1,400-mile round trip," he said. "Between the two trucks we average 8.7 mpg."

The fuel economy numbers are so good in the Redden fleet, that Redden said a trucking company that does a lot of complementary work with them has made the switch to Kenworth and the PACCAR MX-13 engine. "Getting great fuel economy is a competitive advantage and means more profits. It's as simple as that. They were seeing what we were doing - so they jumped on board and started ordering Kenworths."

With a trade cycle set at five years, Redden said the 'back end' of his Kenworth's life is a pleasing proposition. "Peterson Kenworth is great to work with. They always have a buyer waiting for our trucks," Redden said. "The resale of a Kenworth is so much better than other trucks - we certainly get a premium. We may pay a little more upfront, but we get it back and more on the back end."

Redden said that Peterson Kenworth has "always taken good care of us. And, that's very important now, especially since we started using the PACCAR MX engine. It is so nice just going to one shop for work on our trucks and engines."

Kenworth Truck Company is the manufacturer of The World's Best^® heavy and medium duty trucks. Kenworth's Internet home page is at www.kenworth.com. Kenworth is a PACCAR company.