OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla., May 7, 2008 – When Terry Rayburn started delivering a newspaper route for The Oklahoman nearly four decades ago, getting the paper into the hands of readers on his route was a matter of how fast he could walk, run, or pedal his bike.

Now as newsprint coordinator for the company that publishes The Oklahoman, Rayburn is responsible for acquisition of fleet vehicles and fleet maintenance. The Oklahoma City newspaper has a daily circulation of more than 215,000 and a Sunday circulation of 287,000 and is produced by the Oklahoma Publishing Company.

Delays in the newspaper’s distribution, for whatever reason, can mean fewer newsstand sales and more cancelled subscriptions, which can affect ad revenue. With many more routes and a lot more readers counting on him to deliver their papers, Rayburn relies on the steady performance of the company’s winning trifecta of the new Kenworth T170, T270 and T370 medium duty conventional models to meet his deadlines.

“Kenworth offers us three classes (5-7) of trucks that are each well-suited for delivering the paper and for distributing our company’s other products on time,” said Rayburn, whose company is one of the first in North America to operate at least one each of Kenworth’s three new medium duty models. “We’re very happy with the overall performance of our new Kenworths because of their quality, reliability, durability and ease of maintenance. We’re also pleased with the service we receive from our local Kenworth dealer, MHC Kenworth - Oklahoma City.

The company’s Class 5 Kenworth T170 is a 19,500-lb. straight truck with a 16-foot van body. The Class 6 Kenworth T270 and the Class 7 Kenworth T370 straight trucks are rated at 26,000 lbs. and 33,000 lbs., respectively, and are each equipped with a 22-foot van body. The Oklahoman’s fleet also includes a Kenworth T800 and T2000, which are used to haul newsprint from plants in Louisiana and Texas to the company’s printing facility.

The Kenworth T170 is mostly used to deliver papers from the company’s printing shop to stores, schools and distribution centers. The T170’s low-profile chassis, combined with the van’s side door and pullout ramp, makes it easy to quickly and efficiently unload at each stop, which saves the driver a few hours each week, Rayburn said.

The Kenworth T270, which is typically used by the company’s direct mail division, has a liftgate for easier delivery of bulk mailings to local post offices, Rayburn said.

Both the T170 and the T270 are spec’d with a PACCAR PX-6 engine rated at a slightly higher 240 hp and 560 ft-lb of torque than the standard 200 hp engine. Rayburn said the higher horsepower and torque make the trucks more responsive in the stop-and-go traffic that drivers encounter in and around Oklahoma City. Since both trucks are non-CDL class, they also make it easier to fill driver positions.

Throughout the week, the Kenworth T370 delivers the sections of the Sunday edition to the distribution centers, where they’re assembled early Sunday morning. The Sunday paper is a much bigger and heavier publication than the regular daily edition because of the additional advertisements, ad inserts and supplements, Rayburn said. Also, its editorial sections must be printed in three separate press runs. “We spec’d the T370 with the PACCAR PX-8 engine, which offers us the horsepower (330) and torque (660 ft-lb) we need to handle those larger amounts of weight,” he said.

James Logan, transportation coordinator for the Oklahoma Publishing Company, said he routinely drives all three trucks and appreciates their quality and feel. “When we were comparing the Kenworths with other models, I noticed that the placement of the controls were all easily within hands-reach,” he said. “Some of the controls in the other manufacturers’ trucks made me feel like I was driving an automobile, not a truck. I particularly like the Kenworth T170 because the cab sits higher up and it’s easier to drive in and out of residential areas than other small GVW trucks.”

Kenworth Truck Company is the manufacturer of The World’s Best(TM) heavy and medium duty trucks. In addition, Kenworth is the recipient of the 2007 J.D. Power and Associates awards for Highest in Customer Satisfaction for Over The Road, Pickup and Delivery and Vocational Segment Class 8 trucks. Kenworth’s home page is www.kenworth.com. Kenworth. A PACCAR Company.