The Quincy, Illinois-based company positioned the campaign as both a brand effort and a way to highlight the role vocational trucks play in industries such as skilled trades, utilities, infrastructure, maintenance, and other essential services.

“This is a meaningful moment for our industry and for the people who rely on work trucks every day,” said Bo Knapheide, president and CEO of Knapheide. “For 178 years, our mission has stayed the same: build tools that help America work. America’s Work Truck honors that legacy while clarifying what the modern work truck can and should be for today’s workforce.”

Defining the Modern Work Truck

Knapheide explained that the campaign is designed to do more than promote the company brand. It aims to help drivers, fleet managers, and contractors understand how truck bodies and equipment can be configured to make crews more effective and efficient.

“Workers know trucks but not always how a truck can be built to work the way they do,” said Mandar Dighe, vice president of sales and marketing at Knapheide. “No one has told that story at national scale before. America’s Work Truck is a clear signal for the category and a promise of clarity for customers. It defines who we are, who we’ve always been, and how we support the people behind the work.”

By connecting its history and national reach with the story of skilled trades, Knapheide wants to show how modern work trucks support safe and productive fleet operations.

Growth, Capacity, and Supporting Skilled Trades

The campaign comes as demand for vocational trucks rises and awareness of modern truck capabilities remains uneven. Knapheide continues to scale production, technology, and distribution, working with more than 250 distributor partners nationwide.

The company also notes that more work trucks on U.S. roads carry its name than any other brand, and it links this to nearly two centuries of family ownership.

“Our story is deeply tied to America’s story,” Bo Knapheide said. “We’ve built alongside generations of workers through economic cycles and industry change. America’s Work Truck is our way of honoring the past while preparing for the next era of American work.”

Campaign Rollout and Industry Reach

The Work Truck Week introduction is the first step in a larger, year-long campaign. Knapheide plans to expand the message across industry events, business networks, and cultural platforms starting April 1, with broader awareness efforts continuing throughout 2026.

The campaign reinforces Knapheide’s core values of craftsmanship, reliability, and customer service, showing the company’s commitment to supporting independent contractors and national fleets alike.

The post Knapheide Highlights Modern Work Trucks with “America’s Work Truck” Campaign at Work Truck Week 2026 appeared first on Truck Drivers USA.

Source: Kenworth

Built for Power and Performance

The new T880S Performance Hood boasts increased length and a larger cooling package than both the standard T880S and T880 hood, making it compatible with Cummins’ X15 engine, offering up to 605 hp and 2,050 lb.-ft. of torque. This enhancement, tailored for high-GCWR (Gross Combined Weight Rating) environments, allows the T880S to take on more challenging tasks.

While the T880S comes standard with Paccar’s MX-13 engine, the performance hood unlocks new possibilities for customers needing exceptional performance. To maintain engine efficiency in demanding conditions, the cooling module size expands to 1,440 square inches, and airflow has been precisely tailored for superior cooling efficiency.

The updated hood configuration measures 121.7 inches bumper-to-back-of-cab (BBC) and features a 31.5-inch bumper setting with the standard bumper. This design improves weight distribution and ensures compliance with bridge formula regulations while providing a 16-inch axle spread increase compared to the T880 with a set-back front axle.

Expanding Powertrain Versatility for Customers

The four available hood configurations in the T880 series now include the T880, T880 MX-Optimized Hood, T880S MX-Optimized Hood, and the powerful T880S Performance Hood. Kenworth’s inclusion of the Performance Hood provides more options for clients needing high-power engines.

“For our customers that require maximum truck power for their operation or those seeking more powertrain options for the T880S, this hood allows for more customers to utilize the T880S in new ways,” said Kyle Kimball, Kenworth director of marketing.

He added, “The T880S is the favored configuration for customers in ready-mix, dump, and other applications where staying compliant with bridge-formula laws is a concern. By allowing more powertrain options for the T880S Performance Hood, customers with the highest power or payload demands can take advantage while still maintaining excellent visibility with the sloped hood design.”

Durable and Innovative Design Features

The new T880S hood combines durability with signature Kenworth style. Made with Metton material, this hood ensures resilience in tough vocational applications. For added practicality, its 5-piece construction allows for more affordable and efficient repairs in conjunction with other T880 models.

Key design elements include polished or black aluminum mesh grille options, a sleek stainless steel grille surround, stainless steel fender closeout panels, and chrome or black air intake spears. These design touches blend rugged aesthetics with functional performance, creating a bold presence while maximizing utility.

Kenworth’s latest performance hood continues to cement the T880S model as the go-to truck for power, performance, and reliability in demanding industries like heavy-haul, logging, and construction. This enhancement ensures Kenworth remains at the forefront of delivering solutions tailored for high-performance trucking needs.

Source: Overdrive

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