When Driving in Wintry Weather, Not Panicking is Key

Helpful tips to prepare inexperienced drivers for winter’s worst conditions.

Our engineers bring their experiences and knowledge with them to every stage of vehicle testing, from the Milford Proving Ground to the climatic wind tunnel. For engineers like Robb Bolio, that means thinking of their experiences with their kids as well.

Robb, who has been with GM since 1991, underwent a change in perspective when his daughter, Kaely, received her learner’s permit. Through both his background in chassis development and integrated chassis controls and his years of experience as a driver, Robb felt he had lots of wisdom to pass on to his daughter Kaely.

Now that Michigan, like many other areas of the country, is covered with snow, many of Kaely’s driving lessons have centered on how to stay safe and calm in wintry driving conditions.

“Kaely is learning to drive on our Chevy Silverado,” said Robb. “The most important thing that I have taught her is not to panic.”

In winter weather, not panicking is critical. It is important to understand your vehicle and how it will respond on roads made slick by snow and ice. To work on this, Robb has his daughter practice on snowy and icy surfaces so she understands how the truck will feel and how she should respond.

All new GM vehicles in the US are equipped with standard Anti-lock Brakes (ABS), Traction Control (TCS), and Electronic Stability Controls (ESC). These systems maximize the control capability of the vehicle on slippery surfaces such as snow and ice by maintaining steering capability during panic braking or evasive driving maneuvers. Understanding what these systems do and how you should react as a driver are key lessons for new drivers.  Often times when these systems are active there alerts: chimes, noises, and flashing messages on the dashboard. It is important to show drivers – especially new ones – what these signals are trying to tell them.

It’s important to understand the performance differences in front wheel drive, rear wheel drive and all-wheel drive systems. People driving FWD or AWD vehicles often think they are invincible on the roads in snowy and icy conditions. While these systems do provide improved driving traction, they do not provide better stopping capability. Reducing speeds and allowing for longer braking distances can help drivers of all types of vehicles avoid a dangerous situation.

Specifically, it is important not to panic during what we call “stability events” – wheels slipping or sliding while driving over slippery roads. Keep steering the vehicle, don’t pump the brakes, and be sure to leave adequate space between your vehicle and other vehicles on the road.

Other good things you should do to do to make sure your vehicle is ready for winter driving include

• Check tire pressures. Tire pressures drop during cold temperatures.
• Make sure windshield washer solvent is topped off and that fuel tank has plenty of fuel.
• Use remote start to not only make sure cabin is heated but more importantly the coolant temps are adequate for good windshield defrost performance.
• Keep extra warm clothes, gloves and boots in the vehicle.

Ram Named Medium-duty Truck of the Year

March 5, 2015 , Auburn Hills, Mich. - Work Truck magazine today announced that the Ram 4500/5500 Chassis Cab truck has been named its 2015 Medium-duty Truck of the Year.

The announcement marks the second time in five years that the Class 4 and 5 Ram Chassis Cab has earned the publication’s top honor.

“Fleet managers today are looking for medium-duty trucks that deliver and the Ram 4500/5500 meets that requirement hands down,” said Sherb Brown, publisher of Work Truck magazine. “The truck is tough and functional, and it doesn’t hurt that it’s great to drive. Congratulations to Ram on this well-deserved award.”

The winner of the Medium-duty Truck of the Year award is selected by readers of Work Truck and Heavy Duty Trucking magazines. Those readers are comprised of more than 100,000 operators of medium-duty trucks.

“As a full-line truck manufacturer, the commercial truck market is extremely important to Ram,” said Bob Hegbloom, President and Chief Executive Officer, Ram Brand, FCA - North America. “It’s an honor that the readers of Work Truck and Heavy Duty Trucking magazines have singled-out our Ram Chassis Cab trucks for this award. And we’re pleased to be recognized for delivering the attributes most important to business owners.”

Readers were asked to consider which models best fit their fleet requirements, including application effectiveness, durability, quality, servicing, maintenance and lifecycle costs. Eleven different trucks qualified for this year’s Medium-duty Truck of the Year ballot.

About Work Truck Magazine
Work Truck magazine, published by Bobit Business media, serves the needs of light- and medium-duty truck, van, and SUV fleet managers in commercial, delivery, service, vocational, utility, telecom, and public sector fleets. Visit www.worktruckonline.com for more information.

About Ram Chassis Cab Trucks
Ram 3500, 4500 and 5500 Chassis Cab trucks are the pinnacle of capability. Engineered and designed for extreme daily work, the Ram Chassis Cabs are products of a demanding environment and direct customer input.

Ram’s halo truck line focuses on delivering best-in-class capability and best-in-class total cost of ownership, a leading purchase reason among business owners. Ram Chassis Cab trucks offer the latest infotainment technology and exclusive upfit solutions, giving Ram Chassis Cab a competitive advantage. The Chassis Cab line goes further to offer an unsurpassed powertrain warranty of five years/100,000 miles.

“Chassis Cab trucks are the foundation of the Ram Commercial brands work-truck lineup,” added Ram Truck Brand President and CEO Hegbloom. “Ram Chassis Cab trucks are hard workers. They offer a best-in-class Gross Combined Weight Rating of 37,500 pounds, best-in-class towing capability of 29,600 pounds, best-in-class frame strength and best-in-class fuel capacity.”

The Ram Commercial Truck brand will continue to expand its presence in the vocation truck segment by enhancing the capabilities of Ram’s Tradesman series of trucks from half-ton to Class 5, establishing a network of 900 commercially focused dealers, expanding commercial and vocational marketing efforts and leveraging Fiat Professional to bring proven commercial vans to North America.

The 2015 Chassis Cab best-in-class capability ratings:

• Best-in-class Gross Combined Weight Rating (GCWR)
• Best-in-class towing (4500 and 5500)
• Best-in-class front Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR) on 4500 and 5500
• Best-in-class rear frame steel strength of 50,000 psi
• Best-in-class crew cab “curb to curb” turning diameter for 3500,4500 and 5500

Features include a number of industry exclusives:

• Vehicle system interface module (VSIM) is capable of communicating between aftermarket modules and various Chassis Cab control modules
• Electronic stability control (ESC) on all models
• Best-in-class, dual fuel tank capacity of 74 gallons (52-gallon tank plus 22-gallon tank)
• Best-in-class 15,000-mile oil change intervals on Cummins diesel
• Largest-in-class brakes
• Best-in-class dual alternator systems up to 440 amps
• Exclusive backup camera and parking sensors for upfitter positioning
• Unsurpassed powertrain warranty – five years/100,000 miles

Ram Chassis Cab engineers design trucks for upfits and develop unique features to ease installation of multiple systems and bodies without interference or difficult relocation of components, including:

• Industry standard frame lengths of 60, 84, 108 and 120 inches
• No components or lines above the rear frame rails
• Through-the-frame plumbing and electrical
• Diesel exhaust fluid tank (DEF) refill port is conveniently located at the rear of the cab on the driver’s side to ensure easy access at fuel stations

About Ram Truck Brand
Since its launch as a stand-alone division in 2009, the Ram Truck Brand has steadily emerged as an industry leader with one goal: to build the best pickup trucks and commercial vehicles in the industry.

Creating a distinct identity for Ram Trucks has allowed the brand to concentrate on core customers and features they find valuable. Whether focusing on a family that uses a Ram 1500 day in and day out, a hard-working Ram 3500 Heavy Duty owner or a business that depends on its Ram ProMaster commercial van every day for deliveries, Ram has the truck market covered.

In order to be the best, it takes a commitment to innovation, capability, efficiency and durability. Ram Truck invests substantially in its products, infusing them with great looks, refined interiors, durable engines and exclusive features that further enhance their capabilities.

Moving into the 2015 model year, Ram continues to beat the competition in the two most sought-after titles, fuel economy and towing capacity:

• Best-in-class fuel economy with exclusive EcoDiesel – 29 mpg with Ram 1500
• Best-in-class towing capability – 30,000 pounds with Ram 3500 
• Best-in-class payload – 7,390 pounds with Ram 3500
• Best-in-class torque – 865 lb.-ft. with Ram 3500 equipped with Cummins 

Truck customers, from half-ton to commercial, have a demanding range of needs and require their vehicles to provide high levels of capability. Ram trucks are designed to deliver a total package.