This blog will cover the press conferences and products I came across at this weeks Work Truck Show and National Truck Equipment Association (NTEA) Convention.

Let me start off with WOW! This was my first opportunity to attend this event, and I'm having a hard time thinking where to even begin. With so much happening and more time to check it all out again tomorrow I'll start this off brief and add details over the next week or so. Also, some of today's events will be discussed in the Chatty Chassis events blog.

If you missed the show don't feel out of the loop and if you were able to attend, here's some information you may have missed! Remember to stay tuned and keep checking back in.

The first press conference took place Monday night. Western Star launched the all-new Western Star 4700. The all-new Class 8 vocational truck is available in a set-forward and set-back configuration, features a 110-inch BBC, and is aimed at the needs of the dump, mixer, crane, roll-off, sewer vac, and plow applications. Three engine options will be available, DD13 and Cummins ISC and ISL.

Ford also held its press conference on Monday night. Len Deluca, director, Ford Commercial Trucks, provided an overview of where Ford currentlys stands (according to Deluca the 2011-CY was starting well). Rob Stevens, cheif engineer discussed the company's alt-fuel strategy, the new alt-fuel, and discussed its 2011 Body Application Guide. Ford Commercial Trucks has renewed its commitment to Quality Vehicle Manufacturing (QVM).

On Tuesday I began the day with the BAE Systems and the launch of its HybriDrive Parallel hybrid system. The battery system is focused on the Class 6-8 market and is currently being tested. The company discussed how the system worked, more details to come. Mike Payette, manager of fleet equipment for Staples and recently interviewed in Work Truck was on hand to discuss the system from a fleet manager and end-user perspective.

Next, ROUSH CleanTech unveiled the propane autogas Ford F-450/F-550. The company's third year at NTEA its come a long way from its original 10x10 booth and one product (the F-150). Now its got a full-line of propane autogas-fueled products. Brian Feehan, VP of engine fuel for PERC discussed the Propane Education Research Council (PERC). He was joined by Joe Thomspon, president of ROUSH and Brian Miller, VP of Ferrellgas. Look for updates on the event blog soon for details on the great talk I had with Feehan and Thompson later during the day of the show. I had a chance to drive a ROUSH E-Series box truck at the Green Truck Summit Ride & Drive and was quite impressed. I've been behind the wheel of the E-Series 15-passenger van and the F-250 ROUSH CleanTech propane autogas-powered vehicles. It was a smooth drive and had the power you're used to in a Ford E-Series. More to come!

Next up in this busy day was the RAM press conference where they unveiled the 2012 Ram CV Cargo Van. With hard windo coverings, an all-new aluminum floor with skid strips (available in two versions, one with covers), it provides 3,600-lbs. towing capacity and an 1,800-lb. payload. Interior cargo space is 144.4 cubic feet, the load floor is 99 inches and there's 49.1-inches between wheel wells.

All of this before 10 in the morning!!!

Mitsubishi Fuso revealed the all-new 2012 Mitsubishi Fuso Canter FE/FG Series Work Trucks. Designed as a Class 3-5 cabover model it features a completely new design, advanced 4P10 turbocharged diesel engine, DUONIC 6-speed transmission, Daimler's BlueTec emissions control technology, refined frame, and more.

Isuzu debuted the all-new Reach commercial van, in partnership with Utilimaster. It offers an Isuzu 4JJ1-TC 3.0L diesel engine with B-10 durability of 310,000 miles. Light-weight composite materials save 600 lbs. of weight per vehicle, and the body-on-frame design enables easy repair. Lower body panels were designed for quick removal and easy replacement. Also, each vehicle can reduce up to 22,000-lbs. of carbon dioxide emissions per year, per vehicle, according to the manufacturer.

Navistar unveiled its new International TerraStar 4x4 commercial truck. The company said its TerraStar 4x4 variant will deliver additional commercial duty capability for a wide range of customer needs, including construction, utility, landscape, and other off-highway applications. t the heart of the new International TerraStar is its 300 hp 6.4L MaxxForce 7 V-8 engine, delivering 660 lb.-ft. torque. This engine features a compacted graphite iron (CGI) block which offers high strength without added weight. The TerraStar features MaxxForce Advanced EGR emissions technology. With MaxxForce Advanced EGR, customers won’t have the worry or inconvenience of finding or filling liquid urea, the company stated. No added aftertreatment equipment means the TerraStar provides a clean and clear chassis for easy body and equipment mounting and less added weight, according to Navistar.

And finally, Hino Trucks will offer four models of the newly designed Class 4 and Class 5 cab over engine (COE) trucks. In the class 4 market, Hino will offer the 155 diesel model and the first ever U.S. class 4 diesel-electric hybrid model, the 155h. The 155 and 155h models will carry a 14,500 lb. GVW rating. In the class 5 market, Hino will offer the 195 diesel model and the first ever U.S. class 5 diesel-electric hybrid model, the 195h. The 195 and 195h models will carry a 19,500 lb. GVW rating.

For more information on any of these launches, check out the news item on Work Truck magazines website.

A photo gallery of images taken at the Work Truck Show has also been posted.