Oklahoma-Based Melton Truck Lines Purchases Its 5,000th Kenworth Truck, A 2020 T680

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Melton Truck Lines recently purchased its 5,000 Kenworth truck, a 2020 Kenworth T680 with a 76-inch mid-roof sleeper cab. (Photo courtesy of Kenworth.)

Catoosa, Oklahoma, trucking company Melton Truck Lines recently purchased its 5,000th Kenworth truck, a 2020 Kenworth T680 supplied by MHC Kenworth – Tulsa. Bob Peterson, the Melton’s CEO and chairman, took delivery of the truck at a ceremony at the company’s headquarters. Several other representatives from both companies were on-hand to celebrate the milestone. It is the most recent step in Peterson’s journey in the trucking industry, which began with him operating a T600 in 1985.

“I don’t think I could have dreamed that I’d be standing here – nearly 35 years later – with the 5,000th Kenworth under my ownership,” says Peterson. “But, I knew back then I wanted to become a fleet owner. I went to work for CFI and Glenn Brown, who was the CEO. He was my mentor and good friend. I started as a driver to understand the business, and in 1989 I formed GlasTran and was the proud owner of a glass hauling company with 30 leased trucks. The first trucks I bought were Kenworth T600s – 10 of them from MHC Kenworth.”

Long-Standing Relationship

While Peterson has had his own relationship with Kenworth trucks that spans nearly 35 years, the history of Melton Truck Lines is also inextricably attached to the brand. “We’re important to each other,” says Peterson. “And that’s the way it should be. But ultimately, you also have to look at the metrics, and we do. It’s the sales price and resale value, fuel economy and vehicle weight, cost of maintenance, and how drivers respond to the truck. If Kenworth didn’t come out at the top of the class, we wouldn’t be here to celebrate this milestone.”

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The new 2020 Kenworth T680 features a 455-horsepower PACCAR MX-13 engine, a PACCAR 12-speed automated transmission, and PACCAR 40K tandem axles. (Photo courtesy of Kenworth.)

2020 Kenworth T680 Specs

Melton’s newest addition features a 76-inch mid-roof sleeper, a PACCAR MX-13 engine that produces 455 horsepower (339 kilowatts) and 1,650 pounds-foot (2237 newton meters) of torque, a PACCAR 12-speed automated transmission, and PACCAR 40K tandem axles. Driver comfort is a point of emphasis with the T680, which includes a bunk heater, drawer-style refrigerator and freezer, stowable upper bunk, and a television installation package. It also comes with Kenworth TruckTech+ Remote Diagnostics, which helps customers maximize uptime and monitor vehicle health for predictive maintenance purposes.

Source: Kenworth

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