September 22, 2021. Before the Kenworth T680 Next Generation recently became available with the Cummins Westport ISX12N natural gas engine, the new truck model underwent extensive customer validation testing to assess ‘real-world’ performance.
Early this year, Matheson Postal Services became one of Kenworth’s first customers to receive and place into service a T680 Next Gen equipped with a ISX12N engine. The Sacramento-based company provides regional and cross-country transportation for leading postal and shipping service providers, such as the United States Postal Service (USPS) and FedEx.
With 95 classic Kenworth T680s and T880s equipped with 400-hp Cummins Westport ISX12N engines already in operation, Matheson Postal Services was the ideal candidate to evaluate the T680 Next Gen.
“Our validation process is an essential element of developing and launching Kenworth truck models. Matheson Postal Services is an excellent Kenworth customer and played a key role in assessing the T680 Next Gen in a natural gas engine-driven operation,” said Jim Walenczak, Kenworth Assistant General Manager for Sales and Marketing.
“It was exciting to have Kenworth approach us about testing out the new model,” said Daniel Shandy, Matheson Postal Services fleet maintenance director. “When we received the T680 Next Gen all wrapped in camouflage, it created quite the buzz around here. Our drivers spending time with the truck have received a lot of attention from others on the road. It’s been fun to test it out.”
According to Shandy, the truck’s improved aerodynamic design is what initially caught his attention when he saw the validation unit for the first time. “The sloped and narrower hood, re-designed chassis fairings, and other changes Kenworth made to reduce wind resistance caught my eye,” said Shandy. “It’s a sleek design that builds off the quality attributes of the classic T680.”
Since being placed into service, the T680 Next Gen equipped with a 76-inch sleeper is on a dedicated route, making runs to and from Spokane, Washington, and Sacramento, California. The company closely monitors the T680 Next Gen’s performance and compares it to the classic T680s running the same route. So far, the T680 Next Gen has put more than 50,000 miles on the odometer – and one measurable that stands out above all else is the enhanced fuel economy.
“We have 15 classic T680s running the same route with the exact same powertrain specs as the T680 Next Gen, and the improvement in fuel economy is impressive,” said Shandy. “Factor in the diesel gallon equivalent (DGE) for compressed natural gas (CNG), and our T680 Next Gen averages an increase of 0.64 miles per gallon* compared to our classic T680s. That’s significant.”
According to Shandy, CNG trucks are less fuel efficient than diesel trucks because there is less energy per volume unit in natural gas compared to diesel. CNG costs less per DGE and generally does not have the price volatility of diesel.
“Any fuel economy improvement you can attain helps with the costs of running CNG trucks. We’re pleased with what we’re seeing so far from the T680 Next Gen and ISX12N combination,” said Shandy.
Matheson Postal Services first began specifying near-zero emission engines on its Kenworth T680 and T880s seven years ago to become a more environmentally driven company and better assist its customers’ sustainability goals.