6/29/20

Combo Body by Knapheide


Merging the Service Body and the Knapheide Platform Body, the Combo Body from Knapheide provides a versatile new solution for virtually any business. With ample, secure storage in addition to several other beneficial features to increase your performance and efficiency on the jobsite, the Combo Body will quickly prove itself as a resourceful and worthy component of your daily work routine.

6/27/20

Kargo Master Van Equipment


Kargo Master offers wide varieties of van equipment, van shelving, and other van storage systems. Visit KargoMaster.com for more information

6/25/20

2020 Ford F-600 Super Duty Chassis Cab

The all-new F-600 Super Duty chassis cab is a medium-duty truck with the right size, power and technology to tackle the toughest jobs. It delivers the capability of a Class 6 truck – including a maximum GVWR of 22,000 pounds – in a familiar and easy-to-manage Class 5 Super Duty package. With a choice between gasoline or diesel powertrains and OEM 4x2 or 4x4 drivetrain, F-600 lets fleets spec the truck they need to do their jobs rather than just settle for one that’s available.
For those looking for additional payload or to mount heavier upfits without having to move into a larger truck, the new Ford F-600 Super Duty chassis cab hits the sweet spot between F-550 and F-650. The same size as an F-550 overall, F-600 features upgrade driveline and chassis components, as well as higher-weight-rated 19.5-inch tires and wheels to help it achieve its higher maximum GVWR of 22,000 pounds.
The all-new 7.3-liter gas V8 is mated to a new 10-speed TorqShift® automatic transmission with available live drive power takeoff that provides up to a class-leading 300 lb.-ft. of torque.
F-600 offers helpful driver-assist technology including available automatic emergency braking which can help drivers avoid or mitigate collisions, auto high beam headlamps and available lane departure warning.
A standard modem with 4G LTE Wi-Fi for up to 10 devices helps keep drivers and crews connected. New Ford Telematics and Ford Data Services are available to help customers operate their fleets more efficiently. Ford Telematics and Data Services enable fleet managers to enhance uptime and asset utilization, optimize running costs, improve driver behavior, and protect their fleets using Ford OEM-grade telematics software, integrating with the company’s existing telematics service provider or taking vehicle data directly into their own IT systems – giving them the power of choice.
F-600 can be ordered in early 2020 and will be available in mid 2020.

6/23/20

What to Know About Towing | Consumer Reports


There are so many vessels and vehicles to satisfy your inner adventurer. Consumer Reports’ expert explains what you need to know about getting these beauties from point A to point B.

6/21/20

FORD, LINCOLN WORK WITH NATIONWIDE TO OFFER INSURANCE PROGRAM FOR CONNECTED VEHICLES DESIGNED TO REWARD SAFER DRIVING


  • Customers can opt in and share driving data with Nationwide using vehicle connectivity to take advantage of usage-based insurance benefits, saving drivers up to 40 percent.
  • Signing up is as easy as logging into the FordPass or Lincoln Way app and filling out a form. No plug-in devices or additional apps required. 
  • New insurance purchasing experience available in 39 states on 2020 modem-equipped models.
New vehicle owners may wonder if they have the right insurance coverage for their new ride. Two of the country’s automotive and insurance industry leaders are offering a solution that’s as simple as filling out a form in their FordPass or Lincoln Way app.

Ford Insure and Lincoln Motor Company Insure, powered by Nationwide, offer a simple and convenient way to secure usage-based insurance coverage through Ford Motor Credit Company’s licensed insurance agency.

By logging on to their FordPass or Lincoln Way app, clicking on the insurance tile and filling in some information, customers in 39 states with qualifying 2020 Ford or Lincoln vehicles can purchase a policy in minutes and become eligible to save up to 40 percent.1 The form is prepopulated with key vehicle information to make the process easy and fast.

“This is the latest way we’re improving the customer experience,” said Elena Ford, chief customer experience officer at Ford Motor Company. “Insure makes getting insurance easier for connected-vehicle customers to cover one of their biggest investments – their vehicle – while saving money.”

Ford Insure and Lincoln Motor Company Insure policyholders consent to be enrolled in Nationwide’s SmartRide® usage-based insurance program and will share their vehicle connectivity information with Nationwide for the initial six-month policy.

Once customers purchase a policy, the connected vehicle will track and share distance driven, hard braking and accelerating, idle time and night driving to establish a policy rate for renewal. The data are shared with Nationwide through the vehicle’s embedded modem, eliminating the need for a special app or vehicle plug-in device. Customers are eligible for up to a 40 percent discount, which will be applied when the policy is renewed.

Customers will have access to Nationwide’s standard Accident Forgiveness option, as well as crash repairs using genuine Ford parts.

“Customers want to be able to purchase auto insurance as quickly and easily as possible,” said Brad Lemons, Nationwide’s senior vice president of Personal Lines Product and Underwriting. “Ford and Nationwide are bringing together the best of our businesses to help make this happen in a way that is sure to delight our customers.”

Ford Insure is the latest step in Ford Motor Company’s comprehensive, long-term customer experience initiative. Ford aims to make each part of the ownership experience easier and worry-free, building customer ranks and revenues over time. Ford already has doubled its investment in customer experiences to increase trust and loyalty through programs that show appreciation to its long-term customer base.

“Development of Ford Insure and Lincoln Insure began with a focus on the customer – making it as easy as possible to insure their new vehicle and offer the advantages of usage-based insurance,” said Marion Harris, president and chief executive officer of Ford Credit. “Constantly improving connected vehicle technology is allowing us to find new ways to contribute to a great customer experience.”

Ford Insure and Lincoln Motor Company Insure are available in Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Washington, D.C. Launches in other states are planned over time.

The insurance offer starts with these models: 2020 Ford Explorer, Fusion, Mustang, Transit Connect, Escape, Edge, EcoSport, Expedition, F-Series Super Duty, Transit, Ranger and the upcoming all-new 2021 F-150; and 2020 Lincoln Aviator, MKZ, Corsair, Nautilus and Navigator.

“Nationwide and Ford are two of the most well-known companies in America, and our customers are looking to us to provide the best insurance purchasing experience possible,” said Kirt Walker, Nationwide chief executive officer. “We’re confident this new partnership will lead to future innovative products and services between our two organizations.”

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[1]Availability varies; program criteria differs in California. Stated discounts are approximations. Discounts do not apply to all coverage elements; actual savings vary by state, coverage selections, rating factors and policy changes. Participation discount applies during data collection; final discount is calculated on driving behavior and could be zero. Final discount applies at the next policy renewal and is subject to change based upon actuarial support at subsequent renewals or with changes in drivers or vehicles on the policy.


About Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company is a global company based in Dearborn, Michigan. The company designs, manufactures, markets and services a full line of Ford cars, trucks, SUVs, electrified vehicles and Lincoln luxury vehicles, provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company and is pursuing leadership positions in electrification; mobility solutions, including self-driving services; and connected services.  Ford employs approximately 188,000 people worldwide. For more information regarding Ford, its products and Ford Motor Credit Company, please visit www.corporate.ford.com.

About Ford Motor Credit Company
Ford Motor Credit Company is a leading automotive financial services company. It provides dealer and customer financing to support the sale of Ford Motor Company products around the world, including through Lincoln Automotive Financial Services in the United States, Canada and China. Ford Credit is a subsidiary of Ford established in 1959. For more information, visit www.fordcredit.com or www.lincolnafs.com. 

About Nationwide
Nationwide, a Fortune 100 company based in Columbus, Ohio, is one of the largest and strongest diversified insurance and financial services organizations in the United States. Nationwide is rated A+ by both A.M. Best and Standard & Poor’s. An industry leader in driving customer-focused innovation, Nationwide provides a full range of insurance and financial services products including auto, business, homeowners, farm and life insurance; public and private sector retirement plans, annuities and mutual funds; excess & surplus, specialty and surety; pet, motorcycle and boat insurance. Products are underwritten by Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company and Affiliated Companies. For more information, visit www.nationwide.com. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

 Nationwide, Nationwide is on your side and the Nationwide N and Eagle are service marks of Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company. © 2019

6/19/20

FORD LAUNCHES TELEMATICS PLATFORM AND MOBILE APP TO HELP MAXIMIZE YOUR FLEET’S PERFORMANCE

  • Ford Commercial Solutions officially launches Ford TelematicsTM, a web-based software platform and subscription service designed to help commercial vehicle customers better manage and optimize the efficiency of their fleets
  • Ford is offering six months of complimentary access to Ford Telematics, which lets commercial vehicle customers monitor their fleets with GPS tracking and geofencing, get live vehicle health alerts to plan and limit downtime, set reminders for vehicle service, analyze driver behavior, and help manage fuel usage to potentially reduce costs
  • As part of a Ford Telematics subscription, commercial customers will also have access to Ford Telematics Drive, a mobile app for drivers to associate with vehicles so that fleet managers  will know which driver is operating a vehicle and that drivers can use to complete daily vehicle checks and report issues

DEARBORN, Mich., June 11, 2020 – To help commercial vehicle customers optimize their fleets and make them even more efficient, Ford Commercial Solutions officially launches Ford Telematics, a web-based software platform and subscription service designed to grant fleet managers easy access to important connected vehicle data.

A division of Ford Mobility, Ford Commercial Solutions is dedicated to helping fleets improve their operational effectiveness by offering manufacturer-grade connected vehicle data and information verified by Ford engineers.

Through Ford Telematics, commercial vehicle customers can monitor their fleets with GPS tracking and geofencing, get live vehicle health alerts to plan and limit downtime, set reminders for vehicle service,  analyze driver behavior, and help manage fuel usage to potentially reduce costs.

“Fleet operators and managers are always looking for better ways to improve their business, but they can only do that if they have the right data at hand,” said Michelle Moody, Director, Ford Commercial Solutions. “Ford Telematics not only puts that essential information right at their fingertips, its intuitive interface and mobile companion app for drivers make it even easier to process all that data – meaning businesses can focus on what they do best: serving their customers.”

Ford is offering six months of complimentary access to Ford Telematics on qualified commercial vehicle purchases from now through July 31.* Customers can learn more about Ford Telematics by visiting the Ford Telematics website, and can confirm eligible purchases at fordupfits.com

With Ford Telematics, fleet managers can help:
  • Improve utilization: Keep track of fleet vehicles with GPS tracking and geofencing capabilities. Knowing exactly where vehicles are helps identify which driver is closest to the next call, plan more effectively and get the most out each vehicle.
  • Maximize vehicle availability: Receive proactive notifications and vehicle health alerts to plan and stay ahead. Workflow tools will help schedule services well in advance, avoid costly, unexpected repairs and reduce disruption to fleet operations.
  • Optimize running costs: Minimizing waste is crucial to every business. Fleet Managers can monitor the fuel consumption of all vehicles and identify areas of waste as well as their causes.
  • Protect drivers and vehicles: Manage the fleet and driver compliance every day with a range of notifications, including advance service reminders or a warning if a driver isn’t wearing their seatbelt. This helps managers act quickly and protect their staff, their vehicles and their operation.
  • Improve driver behavior: Valuable insights into driver behavior informs business of coaching opportunities to increase efficiency, reduce waste and improve compliance.
As part of a Ford Telematics subscription, commercial customers will also have access to the Ford Telematics Drive mobile app, which offers a user-friendly way to associate drivers with vehicles and for drivers to report the condition of their vehicles. Digital vehicle checks remove the need to file paperwork, and the app also allows drivers to relay information that may not be readily available through a vehicle’s telematic control unit, such as tire conditions or broken mirrors.

The Ford Telematics Drive mobile app is compatible with both iOS and Android devices, and can be downloaded from the Apple App Store and Google Play.

Ford Telematics takes advantage of Ford vehicles’ built-in modems to transfer data directly from the vehicle to the cloud, and to connect seamlessly with its platform – without the need for additional aftermarket hardware, third-party management or installation downtime. Factory-fitted modems are integrated deep into the architecture of Ford vehicles, enabling the company to engineer the vehicle, the data signals and the modem in tandem to maximize the depth and breadth of data used to develop new solutions for fleet customers.

All 2020 model year Ford and Lincoln vehicles come equipped with factory-installed connectivity. For vehicles already in service without factory-installed connectivity, Ford has developed the Ford Plug-In Modem Kit that businesses can use to ensure they receive data from their entire fleet. This kit uses a y-splitter so that the OBD II port remains free for other uses.

* Offer available on 2020/2021 modem equipped vehicles. Must take new fleet delivery from an authorized Ford Dealer’s stock by 7/31/20, and activate complimentary Ford Telematics 180 day trial by 10/31/2020. Must have an eligible FIN code to participate. Subject to credit approval. May not be combined with other telematics offers. No cash value. Not all features or services will be available in all markets. Subject to monthly charge after complimentary trial period has expired. Cellular networks/vehicle capability/data plan coverage may limit functionality and prevent operation of connected features. Program subject to change.  Go to fordupfits.com/telematics for important terms and conditions.

About Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company is a global company based in Dearborn, Michigan. The company designs, manufactures, markets and services a full line of Ford cars, trucks, SUVs, electrified vehicles and Lincoln luxury vehicles, provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company and is pursuing leadership positions in electrification; mobility solutions, including self-driving services; and connected services.  Ford employs approximately 188,000 people worldwide. For more information regarding Ford, its products and Ford Motor Credit Company, please visit www.corporate.ford.com.

6/17/20

Towing Overview | Ford How-To | Ford


This informative video will help explain some of the features your vehicle may have that can help with towing a trailer.

6/15/20

Protexx Partition


Learn about the benefits of our ABS plastic Protexx Partitions from noise reduction, efficiency, functionality, and more.

6/13/20

HOW TO CALCULATE A WORK TRUCK'S PAYLOAD


With several technical terms and acronyms used when calculating a vehicle’s payload, it can get quite confusing. Get it wrong and risk being overloaded which can cause expensive citations, accelerated maintenance costs and safety issues. To make it easy, we break down each piece of calculating the payload of your work truck below and give some additional tips to consider.

First, let’s start with defining the technical terms.

Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) - The maximum operating weight/mass of a vehicle as specified by the chassis manufacturer. Essentially, how much the vehicle can carry with everything including chassis, body, fluids, fuel, passengers and cargo. Trailers are not included in this rating.

Chassis manufacturers always will publish this weight. It can be found on the sticker placed within the front drive side door frame or on the chassis manufacturer’s website.

Curb Weight - The total weight of a vehicle with all operating consumables including oil, coolant, refrigerant and fuel. Include the weight of a truck body if applicable in the curb weight. This number will not include the weight of passengers and cargo within the vehicle.

This number will come from the chassis manufacturer as well and can be found on their website. If your work truck has a body, be sure to include the body weight (including the bumper, mounting kit and shelves if applicable) within the curb weight as well. Body weights should be located on the body manufacturer’s website.

Payload- The difference between Gross Vehicle Weight Rating and Curb Weight. Simply put, it is the amount of weight left that your vehicle can carry in passengers and cargo.

The equation to calculate your work truck’s payload is:

GROSS VEHICLE WEIGHT RATING (GVWR) - CURB WEIGHT = PAYLOAD

LET’S RUN A QUICK EXAMPLE. LET’S SAY YOUR TRUCK’S GVWR IS 10,000 LBS AND YOUR CURB WEIGHT IS 7,100 LBS. WHAT IS YOUR PAYLOAD?

Answer:10,000 lbs (GVWR) - 7,100 lbs (Curb Weight) = 2,900 lbs Payload

This may sound like a lot of payload but keep in mind a few things. Your payload doesn’t include passengers, at the very least your vehicle will have one passenger (the driver) and use up 150 lbs (or more) of payload. If you have multiple passengers, account for those as well. Don’t forget your tools, parts and materials you will carry on your truck. On upfits like a service or utility body, there is ample space to store these items. Calculate the weight of these items carefully and don’t underestimate. Also, be sure to account for any items you install on the truck or body after calculating the payload. These could include a grill guard, ladder or material rack, toolbox, generator, compressor, welder, auxiliary fuel tank and more. Lastly, keep some payload on reserve! There are times when you will need to carry additional equipment, tools or materials to the job that were not included in the original payload calculation. If you leave ample payload open, this won’t become an issue.

SOURCE:  WT Payload

Knapheide Products: https://www.knapheide.com/products

6/11/20

"The Axe Test" - LEGEND Duratherm vs. Other Interior Liner



Legend's high quality insulated duratherm takes on a competitor's interior liner.
Learn more about Legend's Insulated Duratherm here:

6/09/20

Mechanics Trucks // Knapheide


Utilized for many vocations, the Knapheide Mechanics Truck line is sure to provide you with the solution you need – no matter what your job may be. (Featuring our KMS16 and KMT1 Mechanics Truck bodies)

Learn more at: https://www.knapheide.com/mechanics-trucks/

6/07/20

2020 Ford Transit: Built For Your Business | Transit | Ford


Say hello to the 2020 Ford Transit. Built with what you need to help your business pull ahead. Learn more about the 2020 Ford Transit here: http://ford.to/2F5CMCB

6/03/20

Pickup Vault - A.R.E. Truck Caps and Tonneau Covers


To learn more about the Pickup Vault, and other accessories offered by A.R.E.,
 please visit their website at www.4are.com.

6/01/20

Carry It On Top - Masterack Ladder Racks for Every Type of Commercial Van


Masterack has a ladder rack for every type of commercial van, plus accessories to customize a package to your particular need. Choose from the original Masterack Locking Rack, the ergonomic Slide-Down Rack, the effortless PowerRack, or the economical heavy-duty Utility Rack.
 


Learn more at: http://masterack.com/