Volvo Trucks North America and subsidiary Mack Trucks say they’ve eliminated freight charges in most cases for shipments of emergency replacement parts from its parts distribution centers (PDCs).

The new program, which the companies say will allow customers now get the parts they need without having to pay additional shipping costs, took effect in the U.S. in mid-January and becomes effective in Canada at the end of March.

This means if a part is not available at a Volvo or Mack dealership, but is available within Volvo’s network of eight and Mack’s seven U.S. and Canadian PDCs, it will be shipped overnight to the dealer at no cost to the customer.

In addition, parts can be ordered after hours and received the next day or ordered on Saturdays for Monday delivery, all with no freight charge. Oversize parts (weighing more than 150 pounds) are shipped via LTL carrier, again with no freight charges to the customer.

“Volvo’s goal is to have better than 90 percent over-the-counter parts availability at its dealers,” said Joy Johnson, director of parts support for Volvo. “If the part is not at the dealer, but is in our industry-leading PDC network, it will be shipped overnight with no freight charge for the customer.”

Adds Chris Gossler, director of parts sales for Mack: “This program eliminates customer freight costs associated with getting an emergency part, on the off chance the part is not in stock.”

You could have been forgiven for thinking the Ramada Pelican Waters had become the Coast’s most popular truck stop yesterday, after four Big Mack trucks were parked out the front.

But they weren’t there for a quick stopover to re-fuel and head back out on the road.

In fact, the trucks were on display as part of a four-day convention taking place at the Ramada for the Big Mack Truck group.

The new range of Trucks for 2008, including the Titan, Super-liner, Trident and Granite brands, were on display for sales representatives and national representatives before being taken on a cavalcade tour across Australia.

A spokesperson for Mack Trucks said the sales conference would give more than 160 representatives the opportunity to test drive the Trucks and take part in conference sessions by American designers and engineers who helped create the new models.

She said the representatives also headed to the Big Kart track yesterday to test out their skills, before returning for a number of conferences.

It is the first time the national Big Mack Truck conference has been staged on the Sunshine Coast, which was chosen because of its proximity to the headquarters in Brisbane and the factory at Wacol.

Mack Trucks, UAW Extend Terms of Contracts for Second Time

Mack Trucks Inc. and the United Auto Workers has agreed to extend the terms of union contracts that would have expired at midnight Wednesday, a company spokesman said.

The new deadline is midnight Dec. 14, marking the second time the contracts have been extended for 2,200 workers represented by UAW Local 677 in Pennsylvania, Maryland and Florida.

The Truck manufacturer is based in Allentown and is owned by AB Volvo of Sweden.

Instead of spending Thanksgiving at home in New Alexandria, Jeff Tenerovich is on the road in a Mack truck. Dinner today is in Danbury, Conn.

Tenerovich said he couldn’t pass up a unique opportunity to accompany the 2007 U.S. Capitol Christmas tree from Vermont to Washington, especially since he gets to stop and visit veterans in hospitals and nursing homes along the way.

“It’s sad when you see some of these veterans, and they don’t have anybody, and this might be their last Thanksgiving,” said Tenerovich, 58. “It’s a small price to pay as far as missing one Thanksgiving at home.”

Tenerovich is driving one of 15 trucks in the caravan. While 14 of them, including the one transporting the 60-foot balsam fir, are antiques, Tenerovich is driving a 2008 Mack Truck.

What makes it different is that it’s painted with a mural of American military personnel from conflicts throughout the nation’s history.

Tenerovich got the opportunity through his membership in the Antique Truck Club of America and his job at Gribble Transport in Rockwood, Somerset County.

Gribble is under contract with Mack Truck Corp. to move the company’s trucks around for trade shows, dealer openings and other events.

The military tribute truck Tenerovich is driving, dubbed “Rolling Thunder,” is owned by Mack Truck.

Members of a Vermont chapter of the Antique Truck Club, who are driving the Capitol tree and 80 other trees in the caravan, knew of Tenerovich’s connection to Mack and asked if he could get access to the military tribute truck.

The truck fits with the caravan’s theme of honoring the nation’s veterans.

Tenerovich’s truck is escorting the Antique trucks, which range in model year from 1950 to 1968.

The tree was cut Friday from the Green Mountain National Forest near Bennington, Vt. After a town celebration Monday in Bennington, the caravan hit the road. They’ll traverse through Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Maryland before arriving Monday in Washington.

Tenerovich is getting to visit veterans homes and hospitals along the route, dropping off cards, gifts and Christmas trees.

“It’s just really awe-inspiring for me. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime trip you’ll make,” Tenerovich said. “It’s real awesome to be a part of this and interact with the people. These are truly, truly good people.”

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Two pairs of Sister Trucks are being recalled by Volvo and Daimler in order to repair the fifth-wheel assembly in one pair and an overheating air conditioner in the other. One recall involves the 2004-06 Dodge Sprinter and the 2001 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter. Both are commercial delivery vans.

Transport Canada says the rear interior lights for both trucks are installed in the air conditioning ducts and that the lights can overheat causing the lens to distort and lead to a short circuit, which can start a fire. Dealers will replace the rear interior lamps with a modified version that contains lower wattage bulbs.

Volvo’s sisters are the 2007-08 Volvo VHD, VNL, VNM and VT models and the 2006-2008 Mack CHN, CL, CT, CTP and CV models. Volvo acquired the Mack line of trucks about 10 years ago. Those vehicles, says the recall division at Transport Canada, need some work on their fifth-wheel assemblies to prevent towed trailers from breaking away from the tractor.

A lever arm on the assembly may have been incorrectly installed during the manufacturing process. Its pivot bolt may have been overtightened, which could distort a spacer sleeve preventing the fifth-wheel latch jaw from latching securely around the Trailer king pin. Dealers will replace the pivot bolt and sleeve with a hex head shoulder bolt and washer.

Kawasaki is asking the owners of more than 5,000 of its motorcycles to make a stop at the dealer before putting the bikes up for the winter. The company is concerned that a bolt holding the muffler was insufficiently torqued at the factory and that it could loosen and allow the muffler to fall off the bike. Dealers will tighten muffler mounting bolts to the proper torque on the 2002-08 KLR 650 motorcycle.

Recall notices are mailed to vehicle owners and may take several weeks to arrive. If you do not receive a notice, contact a dealer.