Peterbilt regains the top ranking among conventional medium-duty truck customers in overall satisfaction, while UD Trucks ranks highest among cab-over medium-duty truck customers, according to the J.D. Power and Associates 2001 Medium-Duty Truck Customer Satisfaction Study(SM) released Dec. 6. International ranks highest in dealer service satisfaction for the second consecutive year. While Peterbilt, which ranked highest in the 1999 study, has a lower sales volume than that of most medium-duty conventional makes, it has a strong history of producing vehicles that customers find highly satisfying, according to Power and Associates. The make regains its top ranking this year as the result of significant improvements on 17 of the 32 product attributes that contribute to overall satisfaction. "Peterbilt customers report improved satisfaction on some of the most important customer satisfaction measures, including operating costs, expected resale value and satisfaction with number of problems experienced," said Jen Loukes, senior manager of commercial vehicle research at J.D. Power and Associates. Peterbilt’s strong performance in this year’s study is driven by its 330 model, which rated high in vehicle performance, vehicle downtime, drivetrain and design and styling. Kenworth, International, Sterling and Chevrolet also finish above industry average in overall satisfaction. Ford, Freightliner and GMC Truck finish below the industry average, according to Power. UD Trucks ranks highest in customer satisfaction in the cab-over engine market segment. UD Trucks overall index score improves significantly compared to the 2000 study, with gains across each of the five satisfaction factors: vehicle performance, vehicle downtime, drivetrain, design and styling, and warranty. Vehicle downtime is the factor in which the make shows the largest increase in satisfaction, due mainly to quality improvements in the UD1800. Hino, Mitsubishi Fuso and Isuzu also finish above industry average in the cab-over engine market segment. International retains the top ranking for dealer service, with high ratings for service quality, service capabilities and its service advisors. Service capabilities are International’s greatest strength, with customers rating the manufacturer highest on six of the seven measures in this category. Availability of spare parts for service, cost of labor and parts, location of the service outlet and availability of proper tools and equipment are factors in which International customers are highly satisfied. In addition, International dealers’ cost of labor and parts, as well as cleanliness of the truck after service, show significant improvement from 2000. Chevrolet, GMC Truck and Isuzu also finish above industry average in dealer service. Finishing below industry average, in alphabetical order are: Ford and Freightliner. Based on interviews with 2,134 primary maintainers of two-year-old medium-duty trucks (Classes 5, 6 and 7), the study analyzes customer satisfaction regarding a number of important factors, including vehicle performance, product quality, interior and exterior design, dealer service, dealer parts and manufacturer images. About J.D. Power and Associates Headquartered in Agoura Hills, Calif., J.D. Power and Associates is a global marketing information services firm operating in business sectors including market research, forecasting, consulting, training and customer satisfaction. The firm’s quality and satisfaction measurements are based on actual responses from millions of consumers annually. J.D. Power and Associates can be accessed through the Internet at www.jdpa.com.