There is just something about that bow-tie. Chevrolet trucks have long gained a reputation for being sturdy and dependable. This does not only reflect on their pick-ups and SUVs but on their semi trucks and other heavy duties as well. From the Kodiak to the W Series, the boys behind the bow-ties really know how to manufacture a truck that is as nice to look at as it is thrilling to drive.

Light and medium duty trucks are available in a wide range of styles, colors and even manufacturer’s brands. If you have never driven a particular brand then you may not have a preference. Of course you probably know about Ford, Freightliner, Peterbilt and all the others, but there are many truck drivers who simply will not drive anything but a Chevrolet truck. Of course there are also people who will not drive anything but a Chevy car or SUV. Beginning to see a pattern here?

If you know the Chevrolet brand then you definitely know that it stands for quality and service. This is true whether you are referring to the smallest car or the most heavy duty truck. There really is something in a name, and the bow-tie symbol represents a name that stands for one of the most stellar reputations in the history of automobiles. Whether you drive a small commercial truck or one of the biggest and baddest rigs on the road, there is absolutely no denying that when you see that bow-tie you think of quality. Why else would they be one of the very top automobile and truck manufacturers in the world for so many years in a row?

It is because of quality. If you are planning to purchase a commercial or heavy duty truck, then this is a brand that you should definitely consider. The trucks are manufactured with the highest quality and safety standards in mind. If you are setting up your own trucking business or are considering becoming an owner/operator then you definitely want a truck that you can depend on for traveling without costly repairs. Remember the bow-tie. Chevrolet trucks are popular for a reason. They are good trucks. Companies and drivers depend on them to transport their cargo without incident and they deliver more than what they promise. When you get ready to purchase your new truck remember - the power of the bow-tie compels you.

Marilee McCormack is the managing editor for which specializes in Trucks for Sale. In addition to editing, SEO For Truck Dealers and Website Marketing Services are offered.

The model lifespan of new vehicles is likened to that of the presidential term of office since they usually get voted in every four years however pickups are different being extremely popular in the United States usually stayed for two terms.

Moreover since producing full-size pickups are also immensely profitable, automakers tend to spend more on further improving the quality of their truck parts. Plus they make sure that they employed only the best and brightest product engineers and planners to help them create the next blockbuster pickup that can become the next contender for the next Truck of the Year award. And for this year Motor Trend has chosen two pickup trucks from the stable of the world’s largest automaker—the new Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra.

In choosing the Truck of the Year one of the criteria is significance in which the Silverado scored high. The sales of the two brands tally well, each achieving over a million units year in and out courtesy of the numerous combinations and permutations of cabs, drivetrains, beds, and suspensions offered. The Silverado has also recorded high in terms of sales on both Chevrolet truck accessories and Chevrolet truck parts. Its Chevrolet truck part components are made from high-grade materials—only the best from GM.

Unfortunately, market significance doesn’t have that much effect on the Truck of the Year voter base. Each of the truck has to prove its worth and this means passing several tests that are to be conducted by the judges on Motor Trend.

The fresh styling of both trucks have made quite an impression and have successfully differentiates the two trucks from each other. However since it’s a competition there would always be some features that would make one truck to outshine the other. The Silverado’s chrome-bisected grille and brawnier square-shouldered quarter panels enhanced the truck’s looks. Its interior design is made even more impressive with Chevy’s fake wood earning higher marks than the Cadillac’s timber.

On the other hand, the entry-level dash fitted to Sierra makes it classy. The seats both the front and back provides great support while the interior’s hush is so quite that no squeak or rattle can be heard. The new cargo bed earned high marks for utility especially since its equipped with a cargo-management system and spring loaded EZ-Lift tailgate. The judges also appreciated the low sides of the bed which makes it easy to reach unlike the cargo boxes found on the Avalanche/Escalade EXT and the current Ford F-150.

The Silverado’s 5.3 liter V8 featured fuel-saving displacement on demand and a clever dash readout that indicates if it’s operating in V4 mode. This boost fuel economy to an EPA rated 16 mpg city/20 mpg for highway. Only the Dodge Ram Hemi is known to offer a similar system however its EPA numbers trail by 1 mpg each.

Some voters also expressed doubts about the overall smoothness of the engine and quality of the four-speed automatic’s shift but judges at Motor Trend has found the drivetrain of the 2.5 ton four-wheel-drive quite reliable in sprinting to 60 mph in a respectable 8.2 seconds which is 0.3 second faster than a rear-drive 5.4 liter Ford F-150 and 0.4 second quicker than the Dodge Ram Hemi 4×4. And that’s not all once loaded with 1050 pound load its sprinting time is only stretched by 1.2 seconds as compared to Ford and Dodge Ram Hemi which took additional 1.3 seconds.

And in a boat towing test conducted the Sierra and the Silverado has showed remarkable toting and towing prowess. The figures obtained by the two GM trucks are just part of the whole story. The Judges were very much impressed with the composure of the Silverado when loaded. The truck didn’t ride down on its bump stops and although its front is a little light the truck didn’t lose control.

A week long testing has satisfied the Motor Trend judges and the result shows that the new GM full-size pickups have earned excellent marks in terms of superiority front and by limiting the price increase to about $300 on most models, the Chevy and GMC faired well when it comes to Value Category. But since only one truck should be voted as winner all the judges have agreed to award the Motor Trend’s Truck of the Year for 2007 to the Chevrolet Silverado Trucks.

Automotive News has put together an excellent article on Ford’s product strategy. Here’s what’s coming up in regards to Ford trucks. See also: F150 Raptor Ford F100.

Ranger: The small pickup had been scheduled to die, but now Ford is considering extending Ranger output by as much as two years. The automaker had been expected to end Ranger production in fall 2009 when it planned to close its assembly plant in St. Paul, Minn.

What may give the Ranger new life is the relatively high mpg capability stemming from the standard four-cylinder engine and five-speed manual transmission.

Ford may keep making the aging Ranger into the 2011 calendar year. While it’s unlikely that Ford would invest in any significant update in the truck, changes may be made to comply with federal rollover mandates.

Ford eventually could replace the Ranger with a small pickup truck developed on a new global architecture Ford of Australia is developing, called T6.

F-100: Ford is developing a smaller version of its flagship F-series pickup. The new pickup, code-named P525, could be called F-100; it is scheduled to go into production in mid-2011 for the 2012 model year.

The pickup is based on a lighter version of the Ford F-150 chassis and would share front-end sheet metal with the next-generation Expedition, if that vehicle is produced. The F-100 would be offered in a crew-cab model only.

The trade-off for the lighter frame is reduced capability. The F-100 is aimed at buyers who want a pickup but do not need to tow 10,000-plus pounds or carry 3,000-pound loads.

A performance version of the F-100 that tops 400 hp is a possibility.

F-150: Talk about bad timing. Ford is launching the 2009 re-engineered, restyled F-150 in a terrible market for pickups.The 2008 models stacked up at dealerships as gasoline prices rose.

The inventory overload and drop in demand caused Ford to push back the on-sale date of the 2009 truck by two months and eliminate two shifts of production. The 2009 F-150 now is expected to go on sale in late fall. Ford plans to build more basic work trucks and fewer high-end models.

The 2009 F-150 has an all-V-8 engine strategy. Ford has dropped a base V-6 for now. Executives say a turbocharged V-6, part of Ford’s 3.5-liter EcoBoost engine family, will be added in 2010. The three engines for the 2009 model are a 5.4-liter, three-valve V-8; a 4.6-liter, three-valve V-8; and a 4.6-liter, two-valve V-8. They are paired with a four-speed automatic or a new six-speed automatic transmission.

F-series Super Duty: A freshened Super Duty is expected for the 2011 model year.

Bully Dog Diesel is one of the biggest names in diesel performance and they have been around for about 10 years as of 2007. One of their claims to fame is their downloader’s that can be switched between a Ford trucks, Dodge trucks, and Chevy trucks. This is a great feature because with any other performance programmer if you buy a different make of truck, you have to buy a whole new programmer for that truck. The Bully Dog Triple Dog and Bully Dog PMT (performance management tool) on the other hand can be changed from one truck to another saving quite a bit of money is the individual buys a different truck or upgrades. Although good luck trying to get a die hard Ford person to switch to anything else and vice versa. There are some that don’t care though.

The Bully Dog Triple Dog is their original one size fits all downloader which has been extremely popular. Downloader’s in general just plug into the diagnostic port under the dash and upload a new program onto the truck for either fuel economy, economy while towing, or performance. The Triple Dog plugs into the diagnostic port under the dash like the others do, but has a few differences. One, you can go to Bully Dogs website after purchasing the Triple Dog and download an extreme program for free. Two, it can be linked up with Bully Dog’s Outlook monitor which is a full digital gauge set up that also allows you to switch between power levels while you are driving. This is something that no other downloader can do.

The Bully Dog PMT also plugs into the OBDII diagnostic port under the dash. The PMT is exactly what its name says; it’s a performance management tool. The Bully Dog PMT offers push button or touch screen navigation; both navigation styles come with each unit and are active all the time. It also has a color screen with the best resolution and highest contrast of any screen in the diesel industry. It gives you the capability to display four different engine parameters at a time and gives your twenty engine parameters to choose from. Bully Dog is the only company that has a monitor that will work on all three of the major diesel trucks. I personally happen to be one that is happy driving any of the major diesel trucks so this is a feature that appeals to me. For others it might not matter as much.

Chevrolet’s Trucks  new Silverado aims to give Ford’s F-series pickups a run for their money.

Why are pickups so popular?

We once posed that question to a friend of ours, a former chief engineer for the American Automobile Association. “It’s the American way,” he replied. “Everyone has to have a truck at one time or another.”

Looking at the numbers, he may be right. The two best-selling vehicles for 1998 are both full-size pickups, one from Ford and the other from General Motors. Not far behind is Dodge’s Ram, which ranks sixth. American truck manufacturers sold or leased about two million full-size pickup trucks this year, cornering the market, at least for now.

We say for now because Toyota, having withdrawn its T-100 pickup from the market, is reportedly ramping up to be the first Japanese manufacturer to sell a full-size pickup truck in America.

Ever since Ford built the first pickups in 1925, the vehicles have taken on a dual role as a virtual beast of burden and the American family’s second car– personal transportation for people who put a lot of stock in their rugged image.

Despite its seemingly ordinary looks, the full-size pickup is a vehicle of many configurations. Generally three- or six-passenger vehicles, they can be purchased with two, three or four doors. You can buy a regular-cab, two-door model or choose a three- or four-door extended or crew cab model.

There are smooth-riding pickups for city and country duty, and heavy-duty pickups for hauling big loads–all of which are equipped with two-wheel drive. If you need to take your truck off-road, the manufacturers offer light and heavy-duty pickups with four-wheel drive capability.

With Toyota trying to crack the market, 1999 could be a watershed year for pickups. A lot is riding on Ford’s F-series truck. It’s the best-selling vehicle in the country, and Ford intends to keep it that way. GM, on the other hand, hopes its all-new Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra pickups will gain on Ford and cut its lead in sales. And Dodge, which seems to have cornered the market for styling with its Ram trucks, would like to see its sales numbers climb too.

Chevrolets trucks  new Silverado aims to give Ford’s F-series pickups a run for their money.

Why are pickups so popular?

We once posed that question to a friend of ours, a former chief engineer for the American Automobile Association. “It’s the American way,” he replied. “Everyone has to have a truck at one time or another.”

Looking at the numbers, he may be right. The two best-selling vehicles for 1998 are both full-size pickups, one from Ford and the other from General Motors. Not far behind is Dodge’s Ram, which ranks sixth. American truck manufacturers sold or leased about two million full-size pickup trucks this year, cornering the market, at least for now.

We say for now because Toyota, having withdrawn its T-100 pickup from the market, is reportedly ramping up to be the first Japanese manufacturer to sell a full-size pickup truck in America.

Ever since Ford built the first pickups in 1925, the vehicles have taken on a dual role as a virtual beast of burden and the American family’s second car– personal transportation for people who put a lot of stock in their rugged image.

Despite its seemingly ordinary looks, the full-size pickup is a vehicle of many configurations. Generally three- or six-passenger vehicles, they can be purchased with two, three or four doors. You can buy a regular-cab, two-door model or choose a three- or four-door extended or crew cab model.

There are smooth-riding pickups for city and country duty, and heavy-duty pickups for hauling big loads–all of which are equipped with two-wheel drive. If you need to take your truck off-road, the manufacturers offer light and heavy-duty pickups with four-wheel drive capability.

With Toyota trying to crack the market, 1999 could be a watershed year for pickups. A lot is riding on Ford’s F-series truck. It’s the best-selling vehicle in the country, and Ford intends to keep it that way. GM, on the other hand, hopes its all-new Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra pickups will gain on Ford and cut its lead in sales. And Dodge, which seems to have cornered the market for styling with its Ram trucks, would like to see its sales numbers climb too.

SAFETY and driver convenience were the focus of Kenworth Truck Company’s newest T2000 high-tech tractor, which was unveiled at the 2000 Mid-America Trucking Show March 23-25 in Louisville.

Kenworth is once again utilizing a T2000, the company’s premium on-highway model, as its “smart” truck. (Kenworth’s previous high-tech truck, introduced at last year’s Mid-America Trucking Show, proved so popular that it now costars in TNN’s top-rated action drama “18 Wheels of Justice.”)

“Kenworth’s new T2000 High-Tech Truck is designed to provide better information in two key areas: to other drivers in the vehicle’s vicinity and to the truck driver,” said Ed Caudill, Kenworth general manager and PACCAR vice-president. “This will help to promote safety and driver efficiency and comfort.”

The truck especially emphasizes safety. Kenworth’s objective is to explore technologies that can help make trucks safer both for truck drivers and for other vehicles sharing the road.

The vehicle features a number of safety-related items:

*A vision sys- tem uses miniature video cameras with monitors in the cab to aid the driver in making lane changes, backing up, and turning tight corners. Cameras in the side mirrors provide rear-viewing images, and a sleeper-mounted, passenger-side camera offers a curb view.

*Forward-looking infrared night vision extends the driver’s vision farther down the road and outward onto the shoulder.

*A drowsiness monitor tracks the driver’s performance in keeping the vehicle in its lane and gives an alertness rating based on that performance. When that score falls below a predetermined threshold, the system beeps an audible warning and displays a “stop driving” message.

*A clutchless, automatic transmis- sion makes the truck easier to drive and helps reduce driver fatigue.

*An electronic navigation system lets the driver enter a destination and get visual directions. Verbal directions also are available, helping to keep the driver’s attention on the road.

he Hummer’s conceptualization began in 1979. It was basically being designed for the US army and was to be built as a High Mobility Multi-Purpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV). At that time many companies were asked to put forth their best designs for the same. Out of the many that presented their ideas, the three that were chosen were those of General Dynamics, Teledyne and AM (American Motors) General. But this was just the beginning for the companies to prove their worth. The army was very demanding in wanting a vehicle not only of high quality but also that could withstand any kind of pressures, glide through any kind of terrain, and that would be light and easy to maintain! And voila AM General was able to give the most supreme prototype and in the least possible time! Their model called the Hummvee, proved to be just what the army had commanded. It came out with flying colors in the various tests to gauge its superiority. Then the first Hummvees, that was around 55,000 of them, were given for production over a period of 5 years in 1983 to AM General. AM General won this race too and within just 6 months the Hummvee was ready for use. With time the general public too could not resist the desire to drive these Humvees. Thus AM General decided to come out with a civilian version of the Humvee called the Hummer. In December 1999 the Hummer brand and the authority to market and distribute it were sold off to General Motors by AM General. AM General however still manufactures the Hummer.

The Hummer is an SUV-a sports utility vehicle and is the rage with those who are fond of sturdy, long and rough and tough cars. The Hummer seems to have no competitor in this area. The first and original Hummer is now called the H1. It is said that the Hummer was made as a result of Arnold Schwarzenegger’s persuasion as he had seen the Humvees and was very impressed. The popularity of the Hummer is such that the US boasts of several groups and clubs of Hummer owners who come together and drive them either for recreation or for some good causes. Well why good causes, read on to find out. As the Hummer is well known for its great strength and durability, it is often employed in disaster hit areas. Such Hummer owners provide their vehicle for these purposes and thus put them to use for a noble cause. In fact a group has been formed of Hummer owners who have been trained in first aid and CPR. Thus the Hummer has spread its wings to touch all of humanity.
The most recent and a very well known Hummer model is the H3. The H1 and H2 Hummer models are known to be quite large. Unlike them, the five seater H3 has been made to cater to the sensibilities of the common who wishes to own an SUV but still wants it to not look too bulky. The H3 also has good fuel economy and is quite luxurious for the small cost it demands! It has good soundproof materials used in its windows and enough sealing to allow you to hear and speak comfortably enough. This is significant considering that the H3, like its predecessors, is prone to making noise. The H3 also has side curtain airbags as well as the normal driver and passenger ones, which provide added protection. Some of its other features include large knobs for HVAC, sunvisors that have pull out extensions, and large and very readable gauges. The other common features include a tilt-adjustable steering column, power windows and locks, remote keyless entry, an audio system with a CD player, cruise control, air conditioning, an electronic rearview mirror with temperature and compass readings, antilock brakes (ABS), traction control, a tire-pressure monitoring system, and stylish leather seats. It has an OnStar system with one-year Safe and Sound service plan. This system informs the concerned people in case of an emergency and helps them to locate you and get you immediate help and relief. It even helps to keep thieves at bay, because the system can track your Hummer in case of theft.

Trucks are usually reliable, comfortable, easy to drive and maintain; their interior is often Spartan but purchasing a truck can be the best investment you ever made. A Toyota Tundra, double cab, for example, is easy to drive, comfortable and you can benefit from leather seats and a roomy interior, not always stylish. Trucks have often a business like interior, but it can carry five adults.

Chevy trucks are really simple. Their enemy is the rust; you must not worry about it because there are parts available on the Internet or in specialized stores. Many Chevy trucks are really used or modified; if you want to buy a Chevy truck, it is wise to find a truck being sold by its first owner. It is not as difficult as it seems to be.

For people looking for a conventional truck for the week-ends or simply to go t their office, and not for cargo hauling the Chevy truck is the best choice. It is a massive American vehicle, reliable and comfortable. Suspension can be improved to make the Chevy truck smoother to drive. A Chevy truck delivers the power, the reliability and the comfort you need; it is also easy to load an unload it. Chevy trucks are recognized as the longest lasting and comfortable trucks. You can buy an old Chevy truck and restore it easily, searching on the Internet Chevy truck restoration parts; you will keep your old Chevy truck on the road and drive it smoothly.

Ford produces trucks from 1908. Fords heavy trucks division become part of Daimler Chrysler and was re-branded as Sterling. Ford still produces light and medium trucks. Now Ford is out of heavy trucks production, but remains in the medium class production; its Ford Cargo, made in Brazil, is close to a heavier truck characteristics. The Ford F is a series of full size pick ups; the most popular is the F-150. It is the best selling vehicle in US for 23 years and the best selling truck for 29 years.

A dump truck is the vehicle used for transporting gravel, sand, and dirt for construction. Almost all dump trucks have a hydraulically operated open box bed hinged at a rear. Its front can be lifted to make possible the content deposit on the ground behind the truck. There are many dump trucks, depending on their specific tasks; a standard dump truck is a full truck chassis with a dump body mounted on the frame. The body is lifted by a hydraulic ram mounted between the truck traction unit and the semi trailer. The off-road dump truck is looking like heavy construction equipment than they do highway dump trucks. Off road dump truck are used only for heavy dirt hauling jobs.

Some specialized firms compare Toyota Tundra, Chevrolet Silverado, Ford F-150 and Nisan Titan in a head to head test; the results are recommending the Toyota Tundra as the Chevrolet Silverado as the best truck you can buy if you need a reliable, safe, comfortable and smooth riding truck.

House Bill H.R. 1773: Safe American Roads Act of 2007 was upheld recently which prohibits the Secretary of Transportation from allowing motor carriers domiciled in Mexico to operate across the border into the United States. President George Bush was in favor of this outrageous proposal and has stated that he will veto it. This is not surprising since President Bush stated on May 30th, 2006 that seventy miles of border fence would be constructed by September 30, 2007. Well, today is September 30th, 2007 and even though the funds and resources have been appropriated for the border fence, only three miles have been completed.

I have driven in Mexico, hauling dry goods in and out of the country. Mexico basically has no laws governing the commercial motor carrier and their drivers. There are no hours of service rules, drivers do not have log books and safety inspection requirements simply do not exist. Once, while in Monterrey, Mexico a truck in front of me could not get around the “millions” of vehicles in front of him, so he simply drove his rig up over the curb (sidewalk), taking out a street sign, and nobody appeared to even notice! Mexico does not have any EPA laws, so the fumes and smoke from the cars and trucks were blinding.

The senate approved the proposal by a 74-24 vote, delaying the Bush plan to allow Mexican trucks to fill our highways in the United States. Who were the Republican Senators who voted against it? They are listed below in alphabetical order:

Allard (CO)
Bennett (UT)
Bond (MO)
Bunning (KY)
Burr (NC)
Cochran (MS)
Cornyn (TX)
DeMint (SC)
Dole (NC)
Domenici (NM)
Grassley (IA)
Gregg (NH)
Hagel (NE
Hutchison (TX)
Kyl (AZ)
Lieberman (CT) (Independent)
Lott (MS)
Lugar (IN)
Martinez (FL)
McConnell (KY)
Murkowski (AK)
Stevens (AK)
Sununu (NH)
Vitter (LA)

Two Republicans, Craig of Idaho and John McCain of Arizona must have felt that the safety of the American people was not important of an issue, because they did not even vote! As a Florida resident, it has opened my eyes to the insight of Senator Mel Martinez. If you are from Florida and would like to let Senator Martinez know how you feel you can do so by using the link below:

Senator Martinez

Sometimes I feel as if the entire Presidential election is a scam like over the road trucking. The acts by President Bush and the Republican party seems as if they are purposely attempting to fail in order to bring in a Democratic President. Does the American vote really count anymore? Is the next President already decided by those in extreme power? When you sit back and watch the leaders of our nation do some of the things they do, one has to wonder. The majority of credit has to go to the Democrats on this one . . . they voted to keep America’s roads safe. Now let’s see what President Bush will do . . .

Allen is a 30 year veteran and expert within the trucking industry. He has written dozens of articles , helping students and new drivers to be successful by avoiding the scams of many truck driving schools and trucking companies. He is the original author of the well known book, The Truth about Trucking