I haven't heard anything for sure about equipment purchases for 2011. The last I heard from an authority was the plan to run the 03, 05, 06 & 07 Sterlings to a million miles. The used truck market was down 40% from 2009 to 2010. The thinking was since the Sterlings wouldn't bring much we would just run the miles out of existing equipment. The 2011 tractors will be required to have the SCR/Urea system. The reason the 2010 Macks don't have this is Mack/Volvo had some engines that were manufactured before the 2010 emission deadline. The SCR/Urea system makes the 2011 tractors more expensive.
It's not a good sign when ABF doesn't buy new equipment. The only thing I heard about new equipment was sleepers for the west coast COO. I hope this is successful & brings in some revenue.
Back to equipment. As was stated Daimler/Benz owns Freightliner, Western Star, Detroit Diesel & the discontinued Sterling brand. Freightliner wants to install their engines in their trucks.
Volvo owns Mack & that is one reason highway Macks have had Volvo engines since 2007. The Mack engine would not meet the 2007 emission standards without many modifications. The Volvo & Mack trucks are manufactured at the same plant. The 2008-2010 Macks we have are more Volvo than Mack. The suspension etc. is not like the older Macks.
The Series 60 & the MBE 4000 engines are no longer manufactured. That is why the 09 Sterlings 19001-19176 have the DD13 Detroit engines. The DD13 & DD15 replaced the Series 60. The new engines (DD13) are much like the MBE with a few features brought over fron the Series 60. The DD13 has an overhead cam & a single cylinder head like the Series 60, (the MBE has six single cylinder heads & the cam is in the block). The DD13 & DD15 engine was a joint venture between Mercedes & Detroit Diesel. The engines are manufactured in at the Detroit plant. Good news that an American plant was chosen for production. The DD13 has all electronic injectors & aren't operated by the camshaft like the Series 60. The fuel system is called an amplified common rail injection system & the computer does things I didn't know were possible.
The ABF maintenance people didn't like some features about Freightliner. I don't know if Freightliner will manufacture a freight tractor to compete with Mack. There is a void in the marker left by Sterling & ABF is not the only customer that were not happy that the Sterling brand was discontinued.
I will let this board know when I hear something. Probably the best source for news is your local janitor. They seem to know news before the other employees.