Kenworth of Effingham Opens New Dealership

Nov. 28, 2016
Kenworth of Effingham has opened a new 21,000-square-foot full-service dealership featuring a 12-bay service shop and a 2,200-square-foot parts department.

Kenworth of Effingham has opened a new 21,000-square-foot full-service dealership featuring a 12-bay service shop and a 2,200-square-foot parts department.

The Effingham dealership will celebrate the opening with an open house and ribbon cutting ceremony from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 14.

“We’re excited about opening this new location in an area that sees a significant amount of truck traffic, and there is demand for customer service and technical expertise,” said John Nichols, CEO of Palmer Trucks – Kenworth of Effingham’s parent company. “Kenworth of Effingham significantly expands the availability of Kenworth customer support between St. Louis and Indianapolis. With a great location and large parts inventory, our new location can respond to the needs of national fleets, local agricultural companies, contractors and other vocational customers.”

The new dealership sits on a 4-acre lot at 1010 Outer Belt West, less than 2 miles from “The Crossroads of America,” where the lanes of U.S. Interstates 57 and 70 are merged into one roadway. The service shop is equipped with a Hunter alignment machine and DPF cleaning, and offers a dedicated bay for quickly diagnosing trucks and providing fast lubrication service. Kenworth of Effingham offers a comfortable driver’s lounge with free Wi-Fi for drivers.

The dealership’s recent opening came just as Illinois Transportation completed a six-year, $170-million Interstate 57/70 expansion project along a 6-mile stretch from south of Effingham to an area northeast of town.

The phone number for Kenworth of Effingham is 217-347-2242. Joe Carter serves as the branch manager. Kelsie Vandivier manages the parts department. Mathew Shumard is the service manager. Parts and service are available from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

The service department offers full warranty support for PACCAR MX series engines. The dealership also provides leasing and rental services through its PacLease franchise.

“We are excited about the opportunity to be a part of this great ‘truck-friendly’ town, and look forward to supporting the needs of both our new and existing customers,” said Joe Carter.

Kenworth of Effingham is a part of Palmer Trucks, which owns and operates seven other Kenworth locations in Indiana and Ohio.