Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all! As of this writing, I’m on my way home on my next-to-last run of the year. Next week will be our last trip out in New Blue. We will be delivering a load to Charlotte, North Carolina, and then proceed to Cleveland, North Carolina, where I will park New Blue for the last time at the plant. I will then be picking up my new Cascadia.
The new Cascadia will have a Detroit DD15 engine, 455 HP / 1850 FTP, DT12 overdrive automated manual transmission, 2.61 rear axle ratio, 6x2 Hendrickson Opti-Max liftable pusher axle, Detroit Assurance 5.0 collision mitigation system, lane keep assist, battery-powered dual HVAC system, Merlin solar panels, driver's lounge package, 72” raised roof sleeper, LINK active cab suspension. Hendrickson Air-Tec steering axle, Michelin wide-base single tires, and all the latest aerodynamic enhancements.
My lovely new wife, Ruth, and I are looking forward to seeing how our new ride, which is yet unnamed, performs on our journey back to Texas for the holidays. Speaking of the holidays... everyone, please be extra vigilant as traffic volume is always amplified during this festive season. There will be a lot of other drivers sharing the highway with us who are not used to having the patience to drive long distances. Here is hoping that everyone who is scheduled and trying to get home for the holidays arrives safely, so that they can enjoy some well-deserved time with their friends, family, and loved ones. For those of you still working over the holidays, a word of thanks and appreciation goes out to you. Thank you for keeping our country moving while the rest of us celebrate the season at home.