To keep pace with the evolving advanced truck technologies and alternative fuels vehicle market, the Green Truck Ride-and-Drive at The Work Truck Show 2014 will include a closed-access driving area in addition to the traditional open road test drive course.
The Work Truck Show, North America’s largest work truck event, runs March 5 to 7 at the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis, IN. Educational programming begins March 4. Sponsored by Hino Trucks, the Green Truck Ride-and-Drive is open to all show attendees on Wednesday, March 5, and Thursday, March 6, from 12:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
“We are now entering a maturation phase for sustainable vehicle technology,” says Bob Johnson, NTEA Director of Fleet Relations. “Vehicle builders have moved beyond the experimental stage and are fine-tuning their systems to meet the needs of specific applications. The new Green Truck Ride-and-Drive elements allow Work Truck Show attendees to take a more tailored test drive and gain a better understanding of what each vehicle can do for them.”
The Green Truck Ride-and-Drive course covers city streets near the convention center, but participants in 2014 have the opportunity to also take the vehicles into a reserved section of the Indianapolis Zoo parking lot nearby. This large, open area is closed to public traffic, so drivers can devote their attention to the vehicles they’re driving. A vehicle can be parked to demonstrate its equipment capabilities or idled to demonstrate a fuel management system. The new section also allows individuals without a commercial driver’s license (CDL) to test drive a truck requiring one.
Natural gas, propane, plug-in electric, hybrid-electric and extended-range electric vehicles will be featured at the Green Truck Ride-and-Drive. The current lineup includes cargo vans, shuttle buses, pickups, and medium- and heavy-duty trucks from 19 exhibiting companies, giving prospective buyers the opportunity to try out a diverse array of technology setups.
Exhibitors providing vehicles for the Green Truck Ride-and-Drive include:
- Allison Transmission
- AMP Trucks/Workhorse
- Crosspoint Kinetics
- ECHO Automotive
- Freightliner Trucks
- Freightliner Custom Chassis Corp.
- Hino Trucks
- IMPCO Automotive
- International Truck
- Isuzu Commercial Truck of America, Inc.
- Kenworth Truck Co.
- Lightning Hybrids, Inc.
- Nissan
- Odyne Systems, LLC
- Peterbilt Motors Company
- Ram Commercial
- ROUSH CleanTech
- VIA Motors, Inc.
- XL Hybrids
Access to the Green Truck Ride-and-Drive is included with Work Truck Show registration. Vehicles are available on a first-come, first-served basis. No advance registration is required.
