Kenworth Dealer Network Opens New Full-Service Facility in Virginia

Jan. 24, 2008
Truck Enterprises recently opened a new full-service facility that offers customers a large selection of new Kenworth trucks, enhanced service and easy accessibility

Truck Enterprises recently opened a new full-service facility that offers customers a large selection of new Kenworth trucks, enhanced service and easy accessibility.

A member of Kenworth's dealer network of nearly 300 locations in the United States and Canada, Truck Enterprises is set to serve a wider range of customers in northern Virginia and the Washington, D.C., area with its new location in Manassas, Va.

"Our new location will meet customers' needs now and well into the future," said Brett Hartman, vice president and director of operations for Truck Enterprises at the company's headquarters in Harrisonburg, Va. "The spacious, 11-acre site makes it easier for drivers to find room to drive in and out of the dealership. We also have plenty of room to expand as our business grows."

According to Hartman, Truck Enterprises expects business to grow at its new location because of customer needs for a more easily accessible facility that provides truck sales and service support. Urban growth in the Washington, D.C., area, has resulted in heavily congested roads, expensive land, and a challenging process for locating and obtaining permits for large facilities. That's why the area has so few full-service truck facilities.

Truck Enterprises Manassas is located 25 miles southwest of Washington, D.C. and operates in two buildings. One building houses five service bays, which offer Kenworth PremierCare ExpressLube and Kenworth PremierCare Air Conditioning Services, and an onsite 1,500 square-foot parts area. The other building houses a showroom, and comfortable customer lounge and vending area for drivers to use while their trucks are serviced. Truck Enterprises Manassas offers parts delivery and a remote service truck. The dealership also keeps its parts and service area, parts delivery truck and remote service truck well stocked with parts by using an offsite 5,000 square foot warehouse.

Besides offering enhanced and accessible service, the Manassas location also gives customers an opportunity to look at heavy and medium duty Kenworth models that can meet their needs and save them money by lowering their operating costs, Hartman said.

"We're seeing a lot of interest in the aerodynamic Kenworth T660 among our over-the-road fleet and owner-operator customers," Hartman said. "The T660 is already gaining a lot of attention because it has many features that offer significant fuel cost savings and driver comfort. On the vocational side, the Kenworth T800 and the Kenworth W900L are popular, particularly in the construction and concrete industries."

With many local delivery companies and towing companies, Hartman anticipates Kenworth's wider selection of medium duty trucks will capture their attention. Kenworth last year introduced the T370 Class 7, T270 Class 6 and T170 Class 5 conventional models, and the K360 Class 7 and K260 Class 6 cabover models.

"For example, we anticipate that the new Kenworth K260 cabover will do particularly well among companies that make frequent city deliveries," Hartman said. "The K260's good visibility, low chassis weight and easy driver access will make it a popular model because of the traffic congestion in the area's small roads and alleyways. We also expect the new Kenworth T370 and T270 hybrid models to generate a buzz among municipalities when they go into full production this year."

Truck Enterprises Manassas is located at 9599 Hawkins Dr., about five miles southeast of the intersection of U.S, Interstate 66 and Prince William Parkway. The facility is open from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. and from 8 a.m. to noon on Saturday. The company plans to open a second shift for parts and service sometime later in 2008. The phone number is 571-921-1127 or toll-free at 866-205-3728.

Truck Enterprises operates branch stores in Hagerstown, Md., Keyser, W.Va., and Chesapeake, Lynchburg, Manassas, Richmond, and Roanoke, Va. For more details about Truck Enterprises locations and services, visit the Kenworth Dealer section online.